Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) confronted Dr. Anthony Fauci again. In the tense exchange on Wednesday, Paul let Fauci know that things will be different if and when the GOP takes over the majority in the House and Senate.
Fox News reports:
The Kentucky Republican then implied that there could be a reason for this. Stating that government vaccine committee members have not disclosed what, if any, royalties they have received from companies that make the vaccines, Paul said that if the GOP takes control of the Senate in November’s midterm elections they will investigate the matter.
During a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing Wednesday, Paul told Fauci:
“We’ve been asking you and you refused to answer whether anybody on the vaccine committees gets royalties from the pharmaceutical companies. I asked you last time, and what was your response? We don’t have to tell you. We’ve demanded them through the Freedom of Information Act. And what have you said? We’re not going to tell you. But I tell you this, when we get in charge, we’re going to change the rules and you will have to divulge where you get your royalties from, from what companies, and if anybody in the committee has a conflict of interest, we’re going to learn about it. I promise you that.”
Paul began his segment by showing a clip of Fauci speaking about the flu in 2004, where he said that “The best vaccination is to get infected yourself.”
After playing the clip, Paul said:
“Currently, antibody surveys show that 80 percent of children, approximately 80 percent of children, have had COVID, and yet there are no guidelines coming from you or anybody in the government to take into account their naturally acquired immunity,” the senator said, adding that death rates from COVID-19 are similar “if not less than that” of the flu. So when we look at this, we wonder, you know, why you seemed to really embrace basic immunology back in 2004, how you or why you seem to reject it now.”
Fauci responded that he “never denied that there is the importance of the protection following infection.” He added: “vaccination following infection gives an added extra boost.”
Paul fired back, saying:
“Almost none of your studies from the CDC or from the government have the variable of whether or not you’ve been previously infected.”
“If you ignore whether they’ve been infected, you’re ignoring a vaccine, basically.”
Fauci is expected to step down at the end of the year, but he will be investigated if the GOP takes over in the House and Senate.