2014

Was on panel at The World Bank at 1818 H Street, N.W. to discuss Social and structural determinants to combat HIV/AIDS and poverty. All the usual international AIDS players were there.

Went to White House for farewell reception for Grant N. Colfax, head of the Office of National AIDS policy (ONAP). He had been at the job for 1 ½ years. He is returning to be in San Francisco with his partner and…

Just back from Thailand and extremely jet-lagged and also somewhat ill with URI. Probably got it form Chris who had been sick as well as the fact that I was travelling for over 24 hours in a plane. Did interview with…

went to the NIH FDA leadership Council meeting at the new FDA headquarters in Silver Spring. I presented the NIAID strategic approach towards antimicrobial resistance research. The FDA presentation was made by Dr. Peter…

went to the American Society of Microbiology annual Public and Scientific Affairs Board meeting at their headquarters on 1752 – N Street, NW., Washington, DC. I do this every year and update the group on activities of…

Did the “Nifty-Fifty” talk at Montgomery-Blair High School in Silver Spring. Great group of kids with many questions and interest. I spoke on my career in public service at NIH. Sen. Mikulshy visited NIH and gave “pep…

Went to NYC for the day to the DDCF Board meeting. Always like this – seeing Nan Koehane, Jim Gill, Ed Henry, Peter Nadoscy, John Zuccotti et al. Someday, I might even be able to take the honorarium 

Dinner with Larry Corey at Cesco Osteria in Bethesda. Extremely cold streak of weather in DC over past few weeks. We spoke of Larry concern about DAIDS, the vaccine program, esp. Mary Marovich, whom he feels is a poor…

Break-in at my house. Stole only change on my dresser and Euros in my drawer (~$200 worth). Looks like inside job of someone who had key. Perhaps one of many people that we had lent the key to over the years. Have now…

CROI meeting coming up next week and a few paper out in NEHM. Many print media interviews on CCR5 gene editing.

Gave Keynote Lecture at Global Vaccine and Immunization Research Forum at the Bethesda Hyatt Hotel. Big audience of Decade of the Vaccine crowd, i.e. GAVI, BMGF, WHO, etc. Well-received. Much press associated with CROI…

Lunch at Bethesda Hyatt with Margaret Chan, Director General of WHO. Margaret is old friend since mid-1990s with the original H5N1 situation in Hong Kong where she was Commissioner of Health at the time. Pleasant…

Much, much media today surrounding a NEJM paper on CCR5 (see above – Carl June’s paper) as well as a second baby who might be cured as well as monkey studies on long-acting PreP (David Ho). I was on WTOP; ABC Morning…

The Dalai Lama visited NUH and I went to hear him speak at the Natcher Auditorium. I could barely understand what he was saying due to his strong accent and bad acoustics. However, he won everyone over with his smile…

Appeared on NPR “On Point” talking about the recent AIDS stories. (see above).

Salim (“Slim”) Abdool Karim visited from Sotuh Afrtica at my invitation to deliver the John la Montagne Lecture in the Lipsett Auditorium. Slim had take the job as the Director of the South Africa MRC to essentially…

Spoke with Rick Atkinson today to update him on the progress of my memoirs and to ask his advice about whether I should engage Bob Barnett for advice about the legality of my writing my memoirs while I am a USG worker…

Received horrible news tonight at around 9:30 PM from Howard Boltansky who called my cell phone. My dear friend and physician for 16 years, David Jacobs died suddenly in Las Vegas today where he was with his brother to…

Appeared on Diane Rehm Show on WMAU with Anne Ginsberg and …. To discuss TB for World TB day.

Testified at the House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing with Francis Collins, Harold Varmus, Story Landis, Gary Gibbons. Chairman Kingston stayed for 10 minutes and then handed Chair to Dr. Andy Harris (R-MD). Harris…

Dennis Kasper flew in from Boston to work for 2 hours with me on preparing me to present his NAS nomination. Met with Debbie Birx who is waiting for Senate Approval for head of PEPFAR (OGAC). To my dismay, the White…

Ebola still raging in Guinea. Appeared on BBC TV with Katty Kay to discuss as well as BBC radio to discuss pandemics and gave interview with SLATE Magazine on Antimicrobial Resistance

testified at the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing in 192 Dirksen Building. Witnesses were Francis Collins, me, Harold Varmus, Gary Gibbons, Story Landis and Chris Austin. Chaired for last time (historic) by…

Nice visit from Paul Huijts – Director General for Public Health in The Netherlands. He is very interested in antimicrobial resistance. We in USA and NIH are accelerating our efforts in this area due to increasing…

Went to Princeton for the day to give “Public Lecture” at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Invited by Dean Cecilia Elena Rouse (formerly with Hillary Clinton). Met with students (lunch)…

Larry Corey flew in from Seattle to see me. He is still dissatisfied with Mary Marovich – Vaccine person at DAIDS. He feels she cannot make a decision and shows no leadership.

Continued smoldering of cases of Ebola in Guinea (and spread to Liberia) has sustained media interest. I appeared on NBC Nightly News for this tonight

I appeared on WTOP radio for MERS-CoV and Ebola

Went to Harvard School of Public Health to appear on their web broadcast of “Senior Leadership Series”. Nice experience. Hosted by David Hunter and Dean Julio Frenk present. Many good questions about my accomplishments…

Went to private dinner at café Milano to celebrate swearing in tomorrow of Deborah Birx as Ambassador in charge of PEPFAR.

Swearing in of Deb Birx at Franklin Room of the State Department. Big crowd and festivity. Immediately after swearing in, went to PAHO (a block away) to give talk at the 10th Anniversary of the Sabin Vaccine Institute…

Went to Chicago to deliver after dinner speech at the AAP Dinner at the Fairmont Hotel. AAP President Larry Jamison invited me. Spoke on The HIV/AIDS Saga: Science and Policy”. Spoke of my experience with 5 Presidents…

Went to NAS meeting at Fairmont Hotel in DC to defend Haynes and Kasper for membership. Response to them (in voting) was only fair to good.

Spoke at amfAR event at Kennedy Caucus Room at Senate Russell Building. Big affair. Sen. Harkin praised me; Kenneth Cole (fashion designer) introduced me. Many people there: Douglas Brooks (new head of ONAP); Jim Kim…

Still smoldering concern about MERS-CoV with 1st USA imported case from Saudi Arabia to Indianapolis. I appeared on Fox5 TV and AP TV.

Big social day. White House Correspondence Brunch at Katherine graham’s old house at 2920 R Street, N.W. hosted by Tammy Haddad, Steve and Jean case, etc. Many, many celebrities. Had fun with cast of “House of Cards”…

First MERS-CoV case in Lebanon. Total numbers up to 495 with 141 deaths. I appeared on CNN International tonight. May 10. 2014 – Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall (National Security Staff, White House and Special Assistant to…

Yesterday was 2nd imported case of MERS-CoV from Saudi Arabia – a health worker at a Saudi hospital. Went from Ryaad to London to Boston to Atlanta to Orlando. Went to University of Pennsylvania to give the 12th Annual…

More MERS cases. Did CNN with Jake Tapper at 4:30 PM on the issuance by CDC of Level 2 alert for travelers to mid-East and airport alerts to pilots to report people with fevers and illness on mid-east flights. HHS now…

Did Al Jazeera TV on recent CDC guidelines for PrEP. I am becoming “the darling” of Al Jazeera. Producers really like my style and they keep coming to me.

First transmission of infection (sero-conversion) from the Indiana imported case to someone who had “handshake” contact. Again, news blow up. I taped segment for the Today Show (NBC) to appear on May 19.

MSNBC wants me this AM. Return of the “problem”. CDC complaining to HHS that I am on TV for MERS-CoV even though the producers are specifically asking for me. They do not want me talking about “their issue”. Amazing!!…

Travelled to Los Angeles to receive the “Heroes in the Struggle” award from the Black AIDS Institute (BAI). Phill Wilson (President of the BAI) presided. Co-awardees were Mo’Nique (actress/comedian who won Academy Award…

Went to Thai Embassy on 1024 Wisconsin Avenue to a reception in my honor and in honor of co-awardee Jim Kim (World Bank President) for our winning the Prince Mahidol Award last January. Megan and Christine came. Of…

Gave Commencement Address at Hopkins Medical School and then drove immediately back from Baltimore to attend the Sons of Italy NELA Awards Gala Dinner at the National Building Museum. Usual good time. Seated at my table…

The HBO movie “The Normal Heart” played tonight. Larry Kramer’s play about the early years of AIDS. I say the play X2 and now the movie was terrific. Mark Ruffalo played Ned Weeks and Julia Roberts played the polio…

Gave the John E. Enders Lecture at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Great audience, SRO. Extremely well-received. Spent entire day meeting with faculty and students. They are so young, I feel like some…

Together with Robin Robinson, I briefed Senate HELP staff (Harkin, Alexander, Burr, etc.) on MERS. Did it is the Dirksen Building.

Partook in CSIS conference on TB at their headquarters at 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W. Good symposium. Shared panel with my dear friend Eric Goosby

Went to San Francisco to give Grand Rounds at Moffett (invited by Marcia Glass (Kat Glass’s sister). Timed the trip to coincide with Ali’s graduation from Stanford on June 13-15. Great time; extremely well-received by…

Interesting spin-off of my “Big Idea” at the Aspen Ideas Festival. My idea was that we can end the AIDS pandemic in 10 years (by 2024 – theme of festival – global health by 2024 and we were asked what single thing (big…

The Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Liberia is getting out of control. Latest number are 759 cases and 476 deaths (63% fatality) making this the largest outbreak of Ebola on record. Net highest was in 2000 in…

PCR confirms that the Mississippi Baby has indeed rebounded with virus at 16,000 and 10,000 copies RNA per ml. Baby has been off cART for 27 months and is 46 months of age. Disappointing, but raises many questions. The…

Press briefing with Deb, Hannah and Katherine today (Thursday – thunderstorms). Followed by major press that appeared tonight and tomorrow (July 11) with my quoted or appearing on TV or radio tonight or tomorrow: AP TV…

Front page NY Times and Washington Post. My picture and front page LA Times; Wall Street Journal, USA Today and all major print papers and many, many blogs including CNN BBC Radio; BBC TV; NewsHour with Jeff Borwn; VOA…

Had conference call today on Sunday with Francis Collins and Tom Frieden of the CDC. Tom has a significant problem in that they have been multiple lapses at the CDC with people not adhering to protocol in the experiment…

More press on Mississippi Baby (Al Jazeera TV) as well as fluff over the WHO coming out with recommendation that MSM who practice unsafe sex should take PrPE (Truvada). Press misinterpreted this (partly fault of WHO) to…

The situation is heating up considerably with regard to the three infractions that have occurred in HHS concerning potentially lethal microbes. The first was the finding of the smallpox vials in the FDA building (29A)…

Francis Collins and I had conference call with Richard Roberts and Marc Lipsitch regarding the above issues. Great conversation. We told them that changes were going to occur and that we cannot give details, but we are…

Now HHS is allowing me to go on the air after all the major networks have already reported the Ebola situation. However, more to come. Did WTOP radio this AM and will do Canadian TV and Al Jazeera this evening.

Ebola situation really heating up. Now there are 1300 cases with 730 deaths. The person who got infected from his sister in Liberia and flew from Liberia to Nigeria and then got sick and died in Nigeria was an American…

Major media blitz red hot on two concurrent issues. The Israel invasion of Gaza due to the incessant shelling by rockets of Israel cities by Hama from Gaza and the exploding Ebola situation. Was on CNN New Day this AM…

Samaratan’s Purse (Charity Organization in Liberia) has decided to fly Kent Bartley and Nancy Whitebol (infected health workers) from Liberia to Emory Univerity in Atlanta. Emory has a CDC-designated Unit to take care…

Media, particularly CNN and Sanjay Gupta still pursuing the issue of an NIH scientist (Lisa Hensley) who they claim actively pursued and obtained the zMapp antibodies for the 2 American patients. Lisa returns today and…

Some of the events that occurred today are very important. Lisa Hensley, an NIAID employee (Ph. D) is a NIAID scientist who reports to Peter Jahrling at Fort Detrick. She was in Liberia to give technical assistance. She…

Frenzy continues. Press includes WTOP Radio, WNYC Brian Lehrer Radio, Fox Business TV, NPR Los Angeles. Gaza + Ebola – now ISIS is taking over Iraq and the USA in now bombing their advance to a Kurdish city where…

The frenzy around Ebola still continues with the major issue being the ethics of getting experimental drugs to the two Americans, and most recently to a Spanish priest who was flown from West Africa to Madrid and who…

We are having a daily (including Saturday and Sunday) conference call with Secretary Burwell and a separate call among NIHers with Francis Collins. Press interest in dying down somewhat (I was only on Colombian (Bogotá)…

My invited Perspective on Ebola came out online at 5:00 PM in the New England Journal of Medicine. Cliff Lane and I are trying to reconcile the need for data of safety and efficacy of the NIH vaccine and the need to get…

Things quieting down a bit in the press. Still struggling with ethics issues and clinical trials issues. Canada has “hot-dogged” by announcing that they are “donating” 400-800 doses of their vaccine for use in Africa…

Went up to Philadelphia to see the White Coat Ceremony at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School where my daughter Megan is beginning her first year of medical school. Beautiful day and wonderful ceremony. We are…

Ebola still on an upswing. No explosion yet in Nigeria following the infection of cluster (8 to 11) health care workers who took care of (Liberian/American) who flew from Liberia to Nigeria). Tom Frieden and I still…

2 secondary cases of Ebola (beyond cluster of health care workers) from the index in Nigeria. Getting close on agreement with Tom Frieden. Cliff Lane very helpful; in hammering out details with CDC people – Tim Uyeki…

Situation same with epidemic. Good news – have come to agreement with Tom Frieden on approach to Ebola vaccine following Phase1 trials. Agree to go for RCT with control group as first choice. There well may be obstacles…

Our big press teleconference announcing the beginning of the Ebola vaccine Phase 1 trial of the Chimp Adenovirus 3 vector with the Ebola GP bivalent gene insert. Trial to start on September 2 at NIH Clinical Center…

UK raises terror threat to Level 4 (of 5) due to activity of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, who are threatening the West. They have been brutally assassinating free Syrians (beheadings) and have shown a beheading of an…

Case from Guinea went to Dakar, Senegal and lied about exposure. Took bus and stopped in 2 health care facilities. Contact tracing now going on in Senegal. Spoke with Tom Frieden who is in Liberia. Trying to get him to…

Labor Day – had usual call with Secretary Burwell (SMB) this AM at 8:30 AM. Clear and muggy day. We are going around in circles. I am concerned that the Secretary is a really smart and very competent person, but she is…

Tom Frieden back from West Africa, gives press conference and says that the situation is out of control and could result in 100,000 cases! HHS people concerned that he is being hyperbolic; I do not think that he is…

Big meeting at World Bank Headquarters on 18th Street, N.W. to exam and discuss the response to Ebola. Jim Kim (President of World Bank) specifically invited me (as did Paul Farmer), Discussed the WHO Roadmap and David…

After discussions with me and having me see and edit his column, Mike Gerson wrote a scorching editorial in today’s Washington Post criticizing the world and the White House for not doing more for the Ebola situation…

Got note from Tait Sai saying that my interview in Newsweek where I said that the Epidemic was “completely out of control” was “10% too hyperbolic”. Lots going on. USAID assigned Nancy Lindborg to run their shop. She is…

POTUS said on Meet the Press today the following: POTUS on Ebola on Meet the Press, 9/7/14: *Americans should not be concerned about prospects of contagion here in US, short- term, because it is not airborne disease…

The situation is evolving rapidly where the Department of HHS is now telling us (NIH and others) that things are now going in the right direction and that we do not need to have daily phone calls anymore and could…

There is a considerable disagreement going on about the role of randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials (RCTs) in determining the efficacy and true safety of the GSK/NIH chimp adenovirus vaccine. The British in…

The debate still continues as to whether or not we will have military assistance in dealing with the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. There is a disturbing lack of transparency between HHS and us here at NIH in that they…

A lot has happened over the past few days. There has been a considerable amount of disorganization, diffusion, and lack of direction at the level of HHS as well as the rest of the USG (USAID, DoS, etc.). It has been…

Mike Gerson called me up again this AM wanted to find out if I knew anything more about the POTUS planned announcement at CDC tomorrow regarding increased resources (DoD) for Ebola. Mike is driven by his deep…

I helped Mike gerson last night on certain elements of his column which appeared today in the Washington Post. Mike used several of my phrases and called for an escalated effort in various areas of need including US…

Big day yesterday. POTUS announced military involvement in Ebola at CDC at the same time that I was testifying before a joint Senate Hearing of the HELP Committee and the Appropriations Committee. I testified with Beth…

Yesterday had Hearing before the House Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs (Africa) chaired by Chris Smith. On the GOP side were: Stockman, meadows, Burgess, Royce (Chair of Full Committee). On Dems side was: Bass…

I continue to do small amount of press (as the press is getting some fatigue with the same story) with Swedish National TV interview as well as a FOX news appearance. Of note is the fact that the White House…

Went to reception tonight at the home of Hilary Rosen (Democratic pundit) at 4835 Hutchins Place, N.W. to welcome Megan Smith former VP at Google as the White House Chief Technology Officer. All the usual Washington…

Had call at home from Leslie Dach wanting my opinion about a “dispute’ between USAID and Tom Frieden about home care versus community based care of people with Ebola or suspected of Ebola in situations where the ETUs…

Tait Sye from HHS not giving me clearance to appear on CNN-Wolf Blitzer because “CDC will be putting out an MMWR today”. What morons!! I just cannot believe this administration. I must write about this in my book. They…

Still working with Tom Frieden in trying to get agreement on whether to conduct an RCT of the vaccine. Tom remains concerned about a true control (placebo) arm and wants to do a Stepped-Wedge trial of sequentially…

On the last Secretary’s call, Burwell tasked me to get the HHS team together and fashion out a consensus about the way forward following ending of phase 1 vaccine trial at NIH. I had long conversation with Tom Frieden…

Did MSNBC this AM as a commentary immediately following the POTUS statement before the UN on Ebola. He gave his speech and then I was asked to comment. Of course, I supported what he said (since he said the right things…

Learned at 4:00 PM this afternoon that the NIH Clinical Center will be accepting for observation in our special studies unit an American physician who had a moderate risk exposure to Ebola in Sierra Leone (clean needle…

Did FOX News and CNN today (Saturday) on regular Ebola issues. Also, much press coming in since the press release went out today on the patient arriving from Sierra Leone. In this regard, I did CBS Radio News; NPR…

Patient arrived this afternoon (~3:00 PM) from Sierra Leone. State Department arranged his transportation. He was given the VSV vaccine as a post- exposure prophylaxis, which neither Cliff nor I would necessarily have…

No evidence of infection in the patient. Much press today: CNN; Weather Channel TV; USA Today TV and ONLINE; 1 hour at the WTOP Studio with questions from staff Deborah Feinstein and Bruce Alan; CBS Radio; FOX5 TV; CBS…

Word from the WHO meeting in Geneva is that people are starting to come around to our (Cliff, me, Lu Borio) idea about the necessity of conducting an RCT rather than open access for the Ebola vaccine. A story about me…

Big news! A patient from Liberia got on a plane on Sept. 19, arrived in USA (Texas) on Sept. 20 without sxs. On Sept. 24 developed sxs; on Sept. 26 went to an ER in Dallas and was given Z-pack and sent home; on Sept. 28…

Media frenzy continues. The Texas patient continues to dominate the news. The media is really pouncing on the Texas hospital for dropping the ball in sending the patient home with Z-Pack even though the patient…

Had very interesting day today. Sylvia Burwell and Leslie Dach asked me to join Sylvia at a Press Conference at the White House Press Room at 4:30 PM to calm the country’s increasing fear and anxiety around Ebola …

Some drama today. A 35 year old man and his 5 yo daughter (Liberian Green card lives in New Jersey) flying from Monrovia on United Airlines to Brussels and then United to Newark. Man throws up on the Brussels – Newark…

It is interesting that with the 24 hour News Cycle has created its own dynamic. Today (Sunday) the national news was totally dominated by Ebola. Now the questions center around whether we should do entry screening as…

White House meeting discussed increased entry screening, but no firm recommendations to date. Big 24 hour News topic is whether to close the borders to West African flights. I have been very vocally against this (as had…

Continued media frenzy. Each day they pick something else to hammer into the ground. Topic today is the POTUS considering increasing the level of screening by possibly introducing “entry” screening with temperature and…

Media frenzy continues. White House came out today and indicated increased layer of screening at airport on the arrival/entry level with: 1) temperatures; 2) questionnaire about contacts; 3) presence of sxs; 4)…

Mor of the same. Dallas patient) died today. Black community led by Jesse Jackson saying that he go suboptimal care because he is black (surprise, surprise for Jesse). Ton Frieden mad a statement at a World Bank meeting…

Sylvia Burwell calls me at 7:45 AM concerned about the media coverage of Tom Frieden’s statement comparing Ebola to HIV/AIDS. Wants me to speak with Tom to get him to understand the problem with this statement. Called…

Saturday conference call with Sylvia. Implementation of additional screening started at JFK Airport. Issue of a nurse who took care of may be infected. More later on that. Typical situation of what we will see more of…

A very important issue that arose this weekend. Very early in the morning at approximately 5:45 t0 6:00 AM, I received an e-mail from Leslie Dach that there would be a conference call with Sylvia, Lisa Monaco, White…

USG criticism high. Bill O’Reilly calling for resignation of Tom Frieden. I meet by phone with the New York Times Editorial Board. Also, I do NBC Nightly News, Fox News with Greta Van Susteren and MSNBC with Rachel…

Media frenzy continues. I do CNN New Day, Morning Joe early in the AM. Talk of shipping patients out of Texas Presbyterian Health Hospital since they have had 2 infections of their nurses and they expect possibly more…

A truly transforming and important day here at NIH. First I testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations chaired by Mr. Timothy Murphy (R-PA). Tom Frieden…

Jey Johnson, Secertary of DHS, announces that all flights from Liberia, Sierra leone and Guinea must now enter the USA at one of the 5 designated airports (O’Hare, Newark, IAD, JFK and Atlanta) that are now having entry…

Today was another hectic day regarding the possibility of implementing a randomized controlled trial for a Ebola vaccine. As mentioned several times above there is a nefarious attempt on the part of Jeremy Farrar of the…

Today was an extraordinary day in the history of NIH. We discharged our patient via a densely attended press conference outside the north entrance of the Clinical Research Center. It was a beautiful fall day, crisp air…

An important meeting today Situation Room of White House. We discussed the topic of what the movement and monitoring protocol would be for the United States Government regarding HCWs who are returning from service in…

Today I did all five of the Sunday morning TV shows. As indicated above this is referred to as the "Full Ginsburg" related to the fact Ginsburg, the lawyer/family friend for Monica Lewinsky at the time that she blew the…

Furor against Governors’ decision on quarantine. I am in the eye of the storm due to my 5 appearances on Sunday TV giving scientific reasons against blanket quarantine. 2 days ag, nurse returned to Newark from West…

The political issues are heating up around Ebola with the elections only 1 week away. Gov. Christie is standing firm in saying that the US government, particularly the CDC, are playing catch-up with Ebola and that his…

Eventful day today with another visit to the White House and once again meeting with the President. The President wanted to show his support for health care workers who have returned from West Africa, those who will be…

Started the day with a 6:40 AM interview on WTOP. Another interesting day today. I was a panelist at the Washington Ideas Forum sponsored by The Atlantic magazine that took place at the Harmon Center for the Performing…

Jeff Drazen, Editor of NEJM, contacted me to put him in touch with some of the trusted AIDS activists with whom I have worked over the years to get them to write a piece in the NEJM on the similarities between the…

Things calming down. Reports of decreased infections in Liberia, particularly Monrovia. Not sure if this is real or if the infections are now occurring in remote areas without good reporting. Also, the issue of second…

Quiet Sunday. Trying to catch up on piles on my desk. Election on Tuesday. Concern that the GOP will take the Senate, which means Obama is in trouble with both House and Senate in GOP control. Despite reports that the…

Ron Klain visited NIH today (He had visited CDC last week). He wanted to familiarize himself with what the various components of government were doing in Ebola. I made a presentation to him in the VRC, showed him the…

GOP takes control of the Senate in today’s elections. Frenzy calming down. Little press interest – like shutting off the faucet.

Preparing for Hearings of the Senate Full Appropriations Committee (Mikulski). Tom Frieden and I will testify together with Sylvia Burwell. POTUS publicly requests $6.18 Billion in “emergency” funds for Ebola. We will…

Still calm. No Ebola Press. Did Hearing prep by teleconference with Sylvia. Nov. 7-11, 2014 – Still calm. Mostly preparing for Senate Appropriations Hearing on Nov. 12. POTUS asking for $6.18 Billion in emergency…

Successful Hearing today before the Full Senate Appropriations Committee chaired by Barbara Mikulski with Richard Shelby as Ranking Minority. Sylvia Burwell, Jeh Johnson (DHS), Michael Lumpkin (DoD), Heather…

Difficult situation arising regarding the conduct of the Phase 2/3 trials of Ebola vaccine in Liberia/Sierra Leone. The companies (first GSK; now also J & J, who do not even have a candidate ready) are balking at going…

Sierra Leone surgeon, resident of Maryland, green card resident, married to US Citizen hospitalized at University of Nebraska having gotten infected in Sierra Leone. He is critically ill and may not survive. He entered…

dies at Nebraska Medical Center.

Today I testified before a Congressional Hearing of the House Committee on Commerce and Energy, Health Subcommittee chaired by Congressman Pitts from Pennsylvania with Dr. Burgess of Texas as the vice chair, and Mr…

Did Newsmaker Luncheon talk at the National Press Club on Ebola. Got much play in the printed press. Things still calm regarding Ebola with attention switching from the threat in the USA to background issues like the…

Did Webcast for Harvard School of Public Health on Ebola. Panel discussion with Barry Bloom and others. NEJM paper to come out of Thursday (Thanksgiving) reporting on the results of the phase 1 trial of the NIAID/GSK…

Much press associated with the NEJM paper. Did AP TV, BBC TV, Cox TV, Bloomberg print, Reuters print, BBC radio and then later at night BBC TV again. POTUS comes out with White House statement congratulating “Francis…

Again, still interest in the NEJM paper. Did BBC TV via phone plus my photo, CNN International via phone plus my photo. Also did NewsHour with Judy Woodruff. WETA picked me up with an Uber car and promised to take me to…

Did CNN International discussing Ebola vaccine

World AIDS Day. Went to White House and gave main lecture at the WAD ceremonies in the South Court Auditorium. My talk went over so well that they started clapping at the final sequence of slides of the maps of USA and…

Today was most extraordinary day. Began with a presentation that I made together with Debbie Birx (PEPFAR) at the Russell Senate office building. We made a dual presentation in celebration of world AIDS Day to a group…

At his request, went to the Rayburn Office Building office of Chairman Timothy Murphy (R-PA). Murphy was upset with me at a recent Hearing (see above) when he said that I was making condescending statements about…

Gave Ebola talk at the new FDA facility in White Oak. Quite a place! Huge! They loved the talk. Also, new infectious diseases issue. The H3N2 component of the 2014-2015 influenza vaccine is mismatched to the early…

I participated with Ron Klain at a Georgetown University event chaired by Pres. Jack DiGoia in Gaston Hall at the Healey Building. We discussed various aspects of the Ebola outbreak. I have grown to become truly fond…

I participated at the PRIM&R conference in Baltimore where I gave the keynote address on ethical considerations in HIV/AIDS. This was on a Saturday morning. Christine is a major player in this organization and spent the…

I am getting particularly concerned with what I feel is noncollegial behavior on the part of the UK, particularly Dame Sally Davies (Chief Health Officer of UK) as well as the Oxford group personified by Adrian Hill and…

Participated in the The Atlantic STEM summit at GW (cold and rainy day). Was interviewed by my old media friend Frank Sesno (formerly of CNN and NPR) who now heads the Public Affairs Institute at GW. Nice crowd, good…

Gave talk at Italian Embassy on Ebola followed by being interviewed by Ted Koppel, my old buddy from “Night Line”. Great interview. Ted praised me as a national hero. Today “Time” magazine named the “Ebola HCWs” as…

Will receive new patient at SCSU. nurse ftrom San Francisco volunteering in Sierra Leone with NGO got needle stick injury taking care of documented critically ill Ebola patient. High risk exposure. Flying in today…

Went to White House today for meeting 1:45 PM to 3:00 PM in the Roosevelt Room. Crystal clear, crisp and cold December day. Meeting was to review the situation with the Ebola-ready hospitals and Assessment Hospitals in…

traveled to George Washington University to give a lecture for Bopper Deyton’s course given at the Marvin Center at GW. It was an inspiring crowd of first-year medical students who were very excited to hear from me…

Participated in a panel discussion on Ebola vaccines and therapeutics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) at 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. The panel was chaired by Steve Morrison. Other panelists…

Feature article about me including a picture on the Federal Page of the Washington Post. I gave credit in the article to many of the people involved in Ebola effort. It is noteworthy that although I saved Tom Friedman's…

The puzzle of why Adrian Hill (and Jeremy Farrar) have been bad- mouthing the NIH/GSK approach of a high dose prime without the necessity of a boost. early years (1981-1984) when he was Director. He was gay, but…