A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
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May 6, 2009 - Testified before House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health with Anne Schuchat and a USAID person.
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May 6 - 16, 2009 - It is apparent that the epidemic is "stabilizing' in that it is looking like a typical seasonal flu, only out of season in the Northern Hemisphere. Only exception is Mexico, where the apparent severity is not explained compared to the rest of the world. It still could be an issue of the "denominator, i.e. there may be very many undetected mild cases in Mexico and so we are only seeing the severe cases and are assuming that the disease is more sever in Mexico. As of May 15, there have been 4714 confirmed and probable case in the USA in 46 states with 173 hospitalizations and 5 deaths. Internationally, there have been 7520 confirmed cases in 34 countries. Clearly this is different from the "swine flu" situation in 1976 where the virus infected 230 soldiers in Fort Dix, NJ with one death, but the infection never spread outside of Fort Dix. This has important implications in the intense planning that is going on in HHS regarding the production and administration of a vaccine. I am part of the "vaccine team" at HHS made up of Bruce Gellin, Robin Robinson of HHS's BARDA, me, Jesse Goodman and Josh Scharfstein of FDA with input from CDC (Rich Besser et al.). We are being very careful to uncouple the decisions about going ahead to produce the vaccine for administration next Fall and Winter from the decision to actually administer the vaccine next Fall and Winter. We will have to observe what the virus does this summer here and in the Southern Hemisphere (their winter flu season). This drama is eerily unfolding like the situation in 1976. Thomas Frieden, Commissioner of NYC Dept. of Health, announced as Obama choice for CDC Director. Interesting in that many people thought that the choice would be Rich Besser because of the amazing public exposure he was getting, and the very nice job he did, during the flu crisis (every major network every day). Just goes to show you - sic transit glory or welcome to Washington!
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May 27, 2009 - Went to Sons of Italy Awards Gala at the National Building Museum. Sat next to VP Joe Biden and his granddaughter Naomi who goes to Sidwell Friends. Also at table was his wife Jill (whose father is a Sicilian). Had nice conversations over the evening with the VP - very amiable person with whom I have interacted several times in the past re: anthrax, AIDS, SARS bird flu, etc. He was very complimentary to me during his speech. He received the NELA Award for Leadership and Achievement in Public Service (I received the NELA award for science in 1992). NELA = National Education Leadership Award. May 28 - June 2, 2009 - Continued activity working with HHS on flu preparedness. Little press associated with this and Jenny Backus has not been heard from for weeks since the press stuff has calmed down. Tom Freiden has been appointed as CDC Director and so Richard Besser is completely out of the picture. He did a good job, but see above regarding Jenny Backus. It is too bad, but my experience with Backus has seriously soured me on HHS and everyone there. They seem to have no idea who I am and certainly do not treat me with the reverence and respect that all other HHS people have for the past 25 years. I do not think that Sebelius even knows my history and who I am.
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June 3-4, 2009 - Received honorary Doctorate of Science at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. Wonderful honor. Other awardees were Steven Chu (Secretary of Energy and the Commencement Speaker), Pedro Almodovar (Famous Spanish filmmaker), author Joan Didion, religious historian Wendy Doniger, legal philosopher Ronald Dworkin, anthropologist Sarah Hrdy, engineer Robert Langer, musician Wynton Marsalis, and political scientist Sidney Verba. The night before the ceremonies (June 3) iq) we had a festive banquet in Annenberg Hall. I remember when Chris and I first delivered Jenny to Harvard for her 1st year, we walked through Annenberg Hall. It looks like the great hall from Harry Potter books.
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2009-06-16 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
June 16-17, 2009 - Gave Keynote Address at the Pacific Health Summit in Seattle on TB research. It went over extremely well. Many people said that the talk was "historic" and "transforming". I gave a passionate plea for pushing research on TB into the 21st Century and making it transforming and not just incremental. Patty Conrad came with me to Seattle to help out with the press and she enjoyed the trip greatly. Her first trip with me in 2 years since she began working at NIAID.
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June 22, 2009 - Back to the West Wing of the White House for the first time since the Obama Administration began. Met in the Situation Room in meeting jointly run by Laura Petrou (COS for Sec. Sebelius) and Heidi Avery (HSC) to discuss planning for response (vaccine program) to H1N1 Swine flu.
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June 30, 2009 - Had an interesting day of H1N1 flu "stuff". Harvey Fineberg and I constituted a panel that discussed the lesson of the Swine Flu affair in 1976 and its relationship to what is going on today with the swine H1N1 2009. Sponsored by CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) and Kaiser with Steve Morrison and Jennifer Kates presiding. Held in Room B339 in Rayburn Building. Standing room only crowd. Went quite well. Later in the afternoon, went to the Roosevelt Room of the White House to have a similar discussion of lessons learned from 1976. Present were John Brennan (HSC), Sec. Sebelius - (finally got a chance to chat with her and she congratulated me on my honorary doctorate from Harvard a few weeks ago, Apparently, she was in the audience at Commencement since her son graduated from the Business School); Jane Lute (Deputy Sec. - DHS), Arne Duncan (Sec. Educ.), Peggy Hamburg (FDA), Ann Schuchat (CDC), David Senser (former director of CDC who was fired in 1977), Harvey Fineberg, David Matthews (Sec. HEW during 1976), David Hamburg, Walter Dowdle (old friend from CDC), Peter Orszag (Director, OMB). President Obama joined the group for about 30 minutes. He clearly recognized me and greeted me warmly. The entire discussion went from 3:30 to 5:10 PM. Warm, humid summer day in DC
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July 2, 2009 - Another flu panel, this time at the AAAS at 12th and H Street, N.W. Chaired by Harvey Fineberg. Other panelists were Anne Schuchat, Ken Bernard and Ken Cole (US Navy). Good crowd, good discussion. War DC Summer day. Took taxi back to NIH because of horrific delays on Metro's Red Line related to tragic crash that occurred last week where 9 people died.
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July 9, 2009 - Participated as a major speaker at the "Flu Summit" held at NIH run by HHS. Speakers were Sec. Sebelius, Janet Napolitano, Arne Duncan (Education), John Brennan (HSC). Pres. Obama called in from the G-8 conference in L'Aquila, Italy with a "Buon Giorno". Much press at the conference. Still much activity going on. Weather has been spectacular for July here in DC - very unusual - no humidity - cool in the AM.