The FDA's Ties To The Gates Foundation

In 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Within the MOU, the two organizations agreed to exchange information with the aim of promoting the development of innovative products, such as diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics, for addressing disease transmission during a pandemic.

The FDA has MOUs with various academic and non-profit groups, but few have as much to gain as Bill Gates, who has invested billions in pandemic countermeasures.

Concerns have been raised that the Gates Foundation might exert undue influence on the FDA's regulatory decisions regarding these countermeasures.

David Gortler, a former senior adviser to the FDA commissioner from 2019 to 2021, expressed suspicion about the MOU.

Gortler, who is currently a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, DC, explained that typical interactions between developers and regulators are meant to be part of the public record and subject to Freedom of Information Act requests. However, an MOU like this can bypass the usual requirements for transparency in official communications.

David Bell, a former medical officer for the World Health Organization (WHO) and now a public health physician and biotech consultant, also believes that the MOU could compromise the regulatory process.

Bell contends that close relationships between regulators and developers introduce inherent risks of shortcuts and favoritism, which can undermine the rigor of product reviews and endanger the public.

The FDA has faced criticism for its "revolving door" issue, where former FDA commissioners often go on to work for pharmaceutical companies they once regulated. Similarly, the Gates Foundation has hired former high-ranking FDA officials with extensive knowledge of the regulatory process.

For example, Murray Lumpkin, who had a 24-year career at the FDA, is now the deputy director of regulatory affairs at the Gates Foundation and a signatory on the MOU. Margaret Hamburg, a former FDA commissioner, is on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Gates Foundation.

Bell suggests that a potential solution to the revolving door problem is to include a "non-compete clause" in their contracts, preventing FDA employees from working for organizations they've regulated for at least 10 years.

The FDA has dismissed questions about conflicts of interest or transparency in its communications with the Gates Foundation, stating that its regulatory decision-making is based on science and former FDA officials do not influence regulatory decisions.

Bill Gates has invested billions in the development and distribution of medicines and vaccines, touting a significant return on his investment.

In September 2019, the Gates Foundation purchased a substantial number of shares in BioNTech, a partner of Pfizer, and later sold them for a substantial profit. Investigative journalist Jordan Schachtel reported that the foundation made a significant untaxed profit through these investments.

In his recent book, Gates emphasizes the threat of future pandemics and positions himself as central to shaping pandemic preparedness strategies.

In October 2019, the Gates Foundation and the World Economic Forum hosted Event 201, which involved government agencies, social media companies, and national security organizations in simulating a global pandemic. The recommendations from this event became relevant when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.

The Gates Foundation, which holds shares in various drug companies, is now considered to wield considerable influence over the global pandemic response, with the goal of vaccinating the entire world against COVID-19.

The Gates Foundation has provided substantial funding to NGOs, media, and international agencies, increasing Bill Gates' political influence. These financial contributions have led to favorable media coverage.

Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has referred to Gates as "the most powerful man in public health" due to his influence on the WHO's pandemic strategy through funding.

Gates' contributions constitute a significant portion of the WHO's donations from philanthropic foundations, leading to concerns about his impact on setting national and global health agendas.

The CEO of the Gates Foundation, Mark Suzman, acknowledges that they possess considerable access and influence, emphasizing their commitment to advocating for solutions that improve lives and save lives using their resources and influence.