Paul E. Alexander
Paul Elias Alexander | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Health researcher |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | McMaster University |
| Thesis | Clinical practice and public health guidelines: The making of appropriate strong recommendations when the confidence in effect estimates is low (2015) |
| Doctoral advisor | Gordon Guyatt |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Health research |
| Sub-discipline | Evidence-based medicine |
Paul Elias Alexander is a Canadian researcher and a former Trump administration official at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He attracted attention in 2020 when, as an aide to HHS assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo, he participated in efforts by the administration to control COVID-19 messaging from federal scientists and public health agencies.[1]
Education and background
In 2015 he earned a PhD degree in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He was later employed on a contract basis as a part-time assistant professor at the university.[2] Beginning in 2017 he worked on several clinical practice guidelines for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.[3]
Advisor to Trump administration HHS official
In late March 2020, Alexander was recruited by Michael Caputo, the newly appointed assistant secretary for public affairs at the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as his scientific advisor. The two had become friends when Caputo hosted a talk radio show on which Alexander often appeared to talk about scientific subjects. Caputo, who has no scientific background, said in an interview that President Donald Trump had told him to "bring expertise" to his new position and that "the first call I made after I got off the phone with the president" was to offer Alexander a job.[4]
Coronavirus pandemic and attempts to interfere with CDC reports
Alexander and Caputo came under scrutiny for their month-long efforts to exert control over the public messaging of scientists and health officials regarding the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, and for efforts to influence the public messaging of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) so that it would be more compatible with Trump's claims.[5][6] Alexander's efforts were focused on the CDC's widely read Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), which Caputo and Alexander regarded as containing "political content"; Alexander tried unsuccessfully to get all issues of MMWR held up until personally approved by them.[7]
On June 20, 2020, Alexander sent a message to CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, criticizing a CDC report about risks to pregnant women from COVID-19. Alexander said that the report, whose limitations the CDC had acknowledged, would "frighten women" and give the impression that "the President and his administration can't fix this and it is getting worse". He said that in his "opinion and sense" the CDC was "undermining the president by what they put out".[8] On August 8, 2020, Alexander wrote to Redfield that "CDC to me appears to be writing hit pieces on the administration"; he asked Redfield to change reports that had already been published and demanded that he be allowed review and edit MMWR before publication.[6]
In August and early September 2020, Alexander sent several messages to press officers at the National Institutes of Health attempting to direct Dr. Anthony Fauci's media comments. Among his demands were that Fauci should refrain from promoting the wearing of masks by children in school and COVID-19 testing of children. Fauci later said that he had not received the messages and would not have been influenced by them if he had.[9]
In a Facebook Live video posted on his personal website on September 14, 2020, Caputo promoted a variety of false claims and bizarre conspiracy theories, accused the CDC of harboring a "resistance unit" determined to undermine Trump; accused the CDC scientists of "sedition" and accused them of practicing "rotten science"; and called upon Trump supported to prepare for an insurrection. In the same video, Caputo called Alexander a "genius" and defended his actions.[10][5] Two days later, HHS announced that Caputo would take a 60-day medical leave of absence from HHS, and that Alexander would permanently leaving the department.[5][11] At a Senate hearing the same day, Redfield said he was "deeply saddened" by Caputo's claims, said they are "not true"; and said that "The scientific integrity of the MMWR has not been compromised, and will not be compromised on my watch."[5]
McMaster University also distanced itself from Alexander, saying: "While Paul Alexander graduated with a PhD in health research methodologies from McMaster in 2015, he is not currently teaching and he is not paid by the university for his contract role as a part-time assistant professor. As a consultant, he is not speaking on behalf of McMaster University or the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact."[5]
References
- ^ Tom Blackwell, Canadian professor at heart of controversy over White House push to control COVID-19 messaging, National Post (September 16, 2020).
- ^ Craggs, Samantha (15 September 2020). "Trump advisor tied to efforts to downplay COVID-19 not on McMaster's payroll, university says". CBC News. Hamilton.
- ^ "Paul E. Alexander, MSc, MHSc, PhD". IDWeek 2019. IDSA. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- ^ Bron, Sebastian (22 July 2020). "Dr. Alexander goes to Washington; McMaster assistant professor answers 'call to service' to help with U.S. pandemic response". The Spectator. Hamilton, Ontario. pp. A1, A2.
- ^ a b c d e "Top Trump health appointee taking medical leave after incendiary remarks". Washington Post. September 16, 2020.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|authors=ignored (help) - ^ a b Diamond, Dan (11 September 2020). "Trump officials interfered with CDC reports on Covid-19". Politico.
- ^ Sun, Lena H. (September 12, 2020). "Trump officials seek greater control over CDC reports on coronavirus". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ Sun, Lena H.; Dawsey, Josh (9 July 2020). "CDC feels pressure from Trump as rift grows over coronavirus response". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.
- ^ Owermohle, Sarah (9 September 2020). "Emails show HHS official trying to muzzle Fauci". Politico.
- ^ LaFraniere, Sharon (14 September 2020). "Trump health aide pushes bizarre conspiracies and warns of armed revolt". The New York Times.
- ^ Feuer, Will (16 September 2016). "HHS spokesman Caputo to take medical leave after reportedly accusing CDC officials of plotting against Trump". CNBC. Retrieved 16 September 2020.