HHS Official Brian Christine Led Hantavirus Briefing Despite 0 Public Health Experience
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 15
HHS Official Brian Christine Led Hantavirus Briefing Despite 0 Public Health Experience
1 articles · Updated · CNN · May 15
Brian Christine, the HHS assistant secretary for health who took office in November, led a Nebraska press conference this week assuring Americans the hantavirus outbreak posed little public risk.
Christine came to the role from an Alabama urology practice focused on penile implants, not public health, yet now oversees infectious disease policy, women’s health, family planning and the 5,000-member Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
CNN said archived podcasts, social posts and radio appearances show he promoted Covid and 2020 election conspiracy claims, compared the Biden administration to Nazi Germany and argued vaccines did little to stop the pandemic.
His past comments also backed abortion bans with no rape or incest exceptions, while HHS defended him as focused on Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
The episode puts fresh scrutiny on the administration’s choice of messenger as it tries to project a science-based, transparent response to the hantavirus outbreak.
How does a health official's past pandemic skepticism shape his current response to a deadly new virus outbreak?