Just two days after President Trump touted the therapeutic benefits of convalescent plasma in the treatment of coronavirus patients, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn has publicly apologized for exaggerating the effects of the therapy, the Associated Press reports.
I have been criticized for remarks I made Sunday night about the benefits of convalescent plasma. The criticism is entirely justified. What I should have said better is that the data show a relative risk reduction not an absolute risk reduction.
— Dr. Stephen M. Hahn (@SteveFDA) August 25, 2020
“I personally could have done a better job and should have done a better job at that press conference explaining what the data show regarding convalescent plasma. I can assure the American people that this decision was made based upon sound science and data,” Hahn said on “CBS This Morning” Tuesday, speaking about his role in Sunday’s press conference.
President Trump and members of the Trump Administration have come under criticism for unreasonably touting the benefits of various treatments they’ve said treats or cures coronavirus without proper clinical data.
Trump promoted the use of hydroxychloroquine as lately as last night at the republican National Convention, which had its FDA emergency use authorization revoked after multiple studies showed it was ineffective and dangerous.
Recently, Trump has touted oleandrin, a homeopathic treatment promoted by Mike Lindell, a key Trump supporter and founder of MyPillow, who happens to be a stakeholder in a company that produces the extract. The plant from which it is derived, oleander, is toxic, and its benefits for coronavirus are dubious.