White House kept FDA in the dark on Russian ventilators for New York and New Jersey
(Reuters) - When U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to accept a shipment of ventilators from Russian President Vladimir Putin at the height of the coronavirus outbreak, the White House did not alert the FDA as it headed to New York and New Jersey, Reuters has learned.
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FEMA and FDA were aware in general of items included on the flight, but did not have all details on the products before the shipment arrived on April 1, an FDA spokeswoman said.
Earlier this month, Russia suspended use of some of the Aventa-M ventilators in its own hospitals after six people died in fires that reportedly involved the devices.
New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who oversees the House Oversight and Reform Committee, said the Reuters report raises serious concerns about whether President Trump and his aides at the White House may have kept FDA experts in the dark while they rushed to bring in these ventilators from Russia.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-ventilators-ex/exclusive-white-house-kept-fda-in-the-dark-on-russian-ventilators-for-new-york-and-new-jersey-idUSKBN23536O