A top Senate Democrat will lead US lawmakers in questioning health officials on the federal response to the country’s monkeypox outbreak that’s the world’s biggest.
(Bloomberg) — A top Senate Democrat will lead US lawmakers in questioning health officials on the federal response to the country’s monkeypox outbreak that’s the world’s biggest.
Heads of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Health and Human Services Department’s preparedness office are slated to testify Sept. 14 at 10 a.m., according to a statement from the office of Senator Patty Murray of Washington state, who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Bloomberg reported last month that the hearing was planned for mid-September.
With more than 20,000 monkeypox cases, the US has ordered millions of vaccines from sole supplier Bavarian Nordic A/S. Hiccups in the supply chain for shots, testing bottlenecks and difficulties distributing antiviral medications have all slowed the response effort, and HHS has been working with companies to address the issues.
Murray has led lawmakers in calling for more transparency around early monkeypox efforts and what federal health officials have planned for combating the outbreak. North Carolina Republican Senator Richard Burr, the health committee’s ranking member, has also criticized the Biden administration’s response.
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans told reporters they plan to oppose the administration’s request for $22 billion in funding for Covid-19 treatments and diagnostics, as well as $4 billion in federal dollars that Democrats say are needed to fight monkeypox.
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