Politics

‘We’re Gonna Change The Rules’: Rand Paul Threatens Oversight Wave Right To Fauci’s Face

Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul threatens Dr. Anthony Fauci for not disclosing pharmaceutical royalties [Twitter CSpan]

[Twitter CSpan]

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul threatened a wave of oversight on Wednesday after Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to disclose whether members of the FDA are receiving royalties from the companies that created the COVID-19 vaccines.

Fauci was testifying before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee when Paul asked whether there were any financial conflicts of interest between members of the FDA committee and big pharma.

“We’ve been asking you and you refuse to answer whether anybody on the vaccine committees gets royalties from the pharmaceutical companies,” Paul said. “I asked you last time and what was your response? ‘We don’t have to tell you.'” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Rand Paul Demands NIH Preserve All Documents, Communications In Fauci’s Possession)

Paul said he then tried to obtain them by filing a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Fauci again rejected his request.

“But I’ll tell you this, when we get in charge, we’re gonna change the rules and you will have to divulge where you get your royalties from, from what companies, and if anybody on the committee has a conflict of interest. We’re gonna learn about it. I promise you that.”

Fauci then began to respond before both he and Paul were cut off for running over time.

The duo sparred in June over the same issue.

“Over the period of time from 2010 to 2016, 27,000 royalty payments were paid to 18,000 NIH employees,” Paul told Fauci, according to KATV. “We know that not because you told us, but because we forced you to tell us through the Freedom of Information Act. Over $193 million was given to these 18,000 employees.”

“Can you tell me that you have not received a royalty from any entity that you ever oversaw the distribution of money in research grants?” Paul continued.

Fauci said he didn’t know for certain but doubted it.

Watchdog group Open The Books filed a lawsuit in October of 2021 for access to the disclosures but received heavily redacted information that did not specify the who the payments came from or the amounts of those payments, KATV reported.

Paul then questioned whether anyone on the vaccine committee “ever received money from the people who make vaccines?”

“According to the regulations, people who receive royalties are not required to divulge them even on their financial statement, according to the Bayh-Dole Act” of 1980, Fauci reportedly responded.