npr--2020-12-16--LAPD Officers In 2018 Trader Joe's Shooting Will Not Be Charged In Employee's Death

LAPD Officers In 2018 Trader Joe 's Shooting Will Not Be Charged In Employee 's Death Two Los Angeles police officers will not face criminal charges in the 2018 shootout at a Trader Joe 's store that injured the armed suspect the officers were pursuing , and resulted in the death of the store 's assistant manager .
In a newly released memorandum from the Los Angeles County District Attorney 's Office , prosecutors determined the officers were justified in using deadly force because they were trying to protect themselves and the public .
The memorandum also offered more details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pursue suspect Gene Atkins initially ; why officers began to shoot toward a crowded market ; and when it became clear to law enforcement that Melyda Corado , 27 , the Trader Joe 's employee , had been struck in the firefight .
`` It is our conclusion that the officers acted in lawful self-defense and defense of others and are not criminally responsible for the shootings of Atkins or Corado , '' the report said .
Prosecutors noted that even though it was later determined Corado was killed by a single shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was ultimately responsible for her death .
`` Furthermore , we conclude that Corado was killed due to Atkins ' proactive act resulting in the officers ' responding to Atkins with deadly force and therefore [ Atkins ] is criminally responsible for Corado 's death , '' the report said .
`` We are closing our file and will take no further action in the matter . ''
`` This is what LAPD does '' The findings were not a surprise to many , according to the Los Angeles Times .
The paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the July 2018 shootout , both the Police Commission and police Chief Michel Moore ruled the officers did not do anything outside the department 's policy .
The Los Angeles Times said that Corado 's family has sued the police department , alleging negligence and excessive force .
`` This is what LAPD does , '' Corado 's brother Albert Corado told the paper .
`` They can fire eight shots into a Trader Joe 's and kill someone and they think that 's just how these things played out . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that 's the cost of LAPD doing business in the city , '' he added .
The district attorney 's memorandum , which became public Tuesday , is dated Nov. 30 , the LAist pointed out .
That suggests it was part of a final cluster of cases overseen by the previous district attorney , Jackie Lacey , who lost her bid for reelection in November .
It was also about a week before newly sworn-in District Attorney George Gascón assumed office and promised to implement a slew of criminal justice reforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death penalty when prosecuting individual cases and stopping most uses of cash bail .
He also vowed to review law enforcement fatal use-of-force cases going back to 2012 .
It is unclear if his office plans to review the Corado case .
According to the memorandum , Officers Sinlen Tse and Sarah Winans began to pursue Atkins , who had earlier shot his grandmother multiple times .
She survived .
He fled the scene of that shooting in a Toyota Camry .
The pursuit lasted about 15 minutes and covered nine miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended when Atkins crashed into an electrical pole just feet from a Trader Joe 's in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles .
During the pursuit , Atkins opened fire on officers from the vehicle .
After the crash , Atkins fired an additional three rounds at officers , the report said , then ran inside the market .
The memorandum said that Tse fired five rounds in Atkins ' direction , while Winans fired three .
`` Nine seconds passed from the time Atkins crashed the Camry until he entered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Corado ran towards the entrance doors of the Trader Joe 's , '' the memorandum said .
Moments later she ran back into the view of the market 's surveillance cameras , followed by Atkins , the report said .
`` At some point during these nine seconds , Corado was struck by gunfire , '' according to the district attorney 's report .
But it added that surveillance footage did not record Corado being struck nor was the fatal shot recorded by officer-worn body cameras or police vehicle dashboard cameras .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ until after Atkins corralled a number of hostages and used one of their cellphones to contact officers in an attempt to negotiate .
Atkins eventually allowed two hostages to carry Corado outside to police .
Los Angeles Fire Department officials began to administer treatment to Corado , but a short time later she was pronounced dead at the scene .
Subsequent ballistics tests revealed it was one of Tse 's rounds that was the fatal shot .
Atkins , who was struck in the arm but survived , is facing 54 criminal charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder , attempted murder , kidnapping and assault on an officer with a gun .
You can read the full memorandum below .

LAPD Officers In 2018 Trader Joe's Shooting Will Not Be Charged In Employee's Death
Enlarge this image toggle caption Damian Dovarganes/AP Damian Dovarganes/AP
Two Los Angeles police officers will not face criminal charges in the 2018 shootout at a Trader Joe's store that injured the armed suspect the officers were pursuing, and resulted in the death of the store's assistant manager.
In a newly released memorandum from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, prosecutors determined the officers were justified in using deadly force because they were trying to protect themselves and the public.
The memorandum also offered more details of the events that led officers to pursue suspect Gene Atkins initially; why officers began to shoot toward a crowded market; and when it became clear to law enforcement that Melyda Corado, 27, the Trader Joe's employee, had been struck in the firefight.
"It is our conclusion that the officers acted in lawful self-defense and defense of others and are not criminally responsible for the shootings of Atkins or Corado," the report said.
Prosecutors noted that even though it was later determined Corado was killed by a single shot from one of the officers, Atkins was ultimately responsible for her death.
"Furthermore, we conclude that Corado was killed due to Atkins' proactive act resulting in the officers' responding to Atkins with deadly force and therefore [Atkins] is criminally responsible for Corado's death," the report said. "We are closing our file and will take no further action in the matter."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Damian Dovarganes/AP Damian Dovarganes/AP
"This is what LAPD does"
The findings were not a surprise to many, according to the Los Angeles Times. The paper noted that in the days immediately following the July 2018 shootout, both the Police Commission and police Chief Michel Moore ruled the officers did not do anything outside the department's policy.
The Los Angeles Times said that Corado's family has sued the police department, alleging negligence and excessive force.
"This is what LAPD does," Corado's brother Albert Corado told the paper. "They can fire eight shots into a Trader Joe's and kill someone and they think that's just how these things played out."
"It's a tragedy, but unfortunately, that's the cost of LAPD doing business in the city," he added.
The district attorney's memorandum, which became public Tuesday, is dated Nov. 30, the LAist pointed out.
That suggests it was part of a final cluster of cases overseen by the previous district attorney, Jackie Lacey, who lost her bid for reelection in November.
It was also about a week before newly sworn-in District Attorney George Gascón assumed office and promised to implement a slew of criminal justice reforms, including a pledge to stop seeking the death penalty when prosecuting individual cases and stopping most uses of cash bail.
He also vowed to review law enforcement fatal use-of-force cases going back to 2012.
It is unclear if his office plans to review the Corado case.
A pursuit ending in tragedy
According to the memorandum, Officers Sinlen Tse and Sarah Winans began to pursue Atkins, who had earlier shot his grandmother multiple times. She survived.
He fled the scene of that shooting in a Toyota Camry.
The pursuit lasted about 15 minutes and covered nine miles, according to the memorandum, and ended when Atkins crashed into an electrical pole just feet from a Trader Joe's in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles.
During the pursuit, Atkins opened fire on officers from the vehicle. After the crash, Atkins fired an additional three rounds at officers, the report said, then ran inside the market.
The memorandum said that Tse fired five rounds in Atkins' direction, while Winans fired three.
"Nine seconds passed from the time Atkins crashed the Camry until he entered the Trader Joe's. During this time, Corado ran towards the entrance doors of the Trader Joe's," the memorandum said.
Moments later she ran back into the view of the market's surveillance cameras, followed by Atkins, the report said.
"At some point during these nine seconds, Corado was struck by gunfire," according to the district attorney's report. But it added that surveillance footage did not record Corado being struck nor was the fatal shot recorded by officer-worn body cameras or police vehicle dashboard cameras.
Police were unaware that Corado was injured until after Atkins corralled a number of hostages and used one of their cellphones to contact officers in an attempt to negotiate.
Atkins eventually allowed two hostages to carry Corado outside to police.
Los Angeles Fire Department officials began to administer treatment to Corado, but a short time later she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Subsequent ballistics tests revealed it was one of Tse's rounds that was the fatal shot.
Atkins, who was struck in the arm but survived, is facing 54 criminal charges, according to the report, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and assault on an officer with a gun.
You can read the full memorandum below.


npr--2020-12-16--Congressional Leaders Near Deal On Roughly $900 Billion COVID-19 Relief Bill

Congressional leaders are nearing an agreement on a roughly $ 900 billion COVID-19 relief package that is likely to include a fresh round of smaller stimulus checks , according to congressional aides familiar with the talks .
Negotiations are ongoing and nothing is finalized , but leaders were optimistic following a lengthy negotiating session on Tuesday night .
`` We made major headway toward hammering out a targeted , pandemic relief package that would be able to pass both chambers with bipartisan majorities , '' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor .
The package is expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal released by a group of centrist House and Senate members earlier this week , including further federal unemployment insurance , an extended ban on evictions and a continued pause on federal student loan payments .
The bill is not expected to include any new direct money for state and local governments as Democrats have demanded nor is it expected to include Republican-backed liability limitations .
The proposal is expected to include more money for the Paycheck Protection Program and for vaccine distribution .
South Dakota Sen. John Thune , a top GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus checks for individuals of $ 600 to $ 700 .
The four top congressional leaders , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , McConnell , R-Ky. , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif. , met in Pelosi 's Capitol suite for several hours Tuesday evening .
The talks are continuing , though Pelosi and McConnell say they are committed to completing a bill before the end of the year .
Leaders plan to attach the coronavirus measure to an omnibus spending bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass an additional short-term funding stopgap to allow committees to write legislative language for the COVID-19 provisions .
The federal government is scheduled to run out of money on Dec. 18 so a temporary bill would avoid any brief shutdown as both chambers process the package .
`` Nothing is a done deal yet , but I think progress is being made , seems like there 's movement in the right direction , and I guess I 'm hopeful that we 'll be able to hit the deadline , '' Thune said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wilmington , Del.
, called the emerging deal `` encouraging '' and praised bipartisan leaders .
But he noted that the package was a `` down payment '' and that Congress would need to pass another bill in the early part of 2021 .
The sudden rush toward agreement comes after months of public , partisan bickering and virtually no private negotiation on an aid package .
Pelosi and McConnell have traded vastly different proposals over the past several months but had not directly engaged in talks .
Instead , a bipartisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties launched their own working group to craft a workable agreement .
Groups like these frequently emerge , but it is rare that leaders fully embrace their proposals .
The biggest change to the legislation produced by the bipartisan group is the addition of a new round of stimulus checks .
Sens .
Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , and Josh Hawley , R-Mo.
, have demanded that checks be included in the package and have considered blocking any legislation that does not include the funds .
`` We have right now probably the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the Great Depression , '' Sanders told NPR 's All Things Considered .
`` I do not believe that it is appropriate for members of Congress to go back to their families for the Christmas holidays while so many millions of families in this country are struggling just to stay alive . ''

Congressional Leaders Near Deal On Roughly $900 Billion COVID-19 Relief Bill
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Update at 12:27 p.m. ET
Congressional leaders are nearing an agreement on a roughly $900 billion COVID-19 relief package that is likely to include a fresh round of smaller stimulus checks, according to congressional aides familiar with the talks.
Negotiations are ongoing and nothing is finalized, but leaders were optimistic following a lengthy negotiating session on Tuesday night.
"We made major headway toward hammering out a targeted, pandemic relief package that would be able to pass both chambers with bipartisan majorities," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor.
The package is expected to include many elements of the bipartisan proposal released by a group of centrist House and Senate members earlier this week, including further federal unemployment insurance, an extended ban on evictions and a continued pause on federal student loan payments. The bill is not expected to include any new direct money for state and local governments as Democrats have demanded nor is it expected to include Republican-backed liability limitations.
The proposal is expected to include more money for the Paycheck Protection Program and for vaccine distribution.
South Dakota Sen. John Thune, a top GOP leader, told reporters leaders were discussing stimulus checks for individuals of $600 to $700.
The four top congressional leaders, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., McConnell, R-Ky., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., met in Pelosi's Capitol suite for several hours Tuesday evening.
The talks are continuing, though Pelosi and McConnell say they are committed to completing a bill before the end of the year. Leaders plan to attach the coronavirus measure to an omnibus spending bill. Doing so may require them to pass an additional short-term funding stopgap to allow committees to write legislative language for the COVID-19 provisions. The federal government is scheduled to run out of money on Dec. 18 so a temporary bill would avoid any brief shutdown as both chambers process the package.
"Nothing is a done deal yet, but I think progress is being made, seems like there's movement in the right direction, and I guess I'm hopeful that we'll be able to hit the deadline," Thune said.
President-elect Joe Biden, speaking to reporters in Wilmington, Del., called the emerging deal "encouraging" and praised bipartisan leaders. But he noted that the package was a "down payment" and that Congress would need to pass another bill in the early part of 2021.
The sudden rush toward agreement comes after months of public, partisan bickering and virtually no private negotiation on an aid package. Pelosi and McConnell have traded vastly different proposals over the past several months but had not directly engaged in talks.
Instead, a bipartisan group of more moderate lawmakers from both parties launched their own working group to craft a workable agreement. Groups like these frequently emerge, but it is rare that leaders fully embrace their proposals.
The biggest change to the legislation produced by the bipartisan group is the addition of a new round of stimulus checks. Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., have demanded that checks be included in the package and have considered blocking any legislation that does not include the funds.
"We have right now probably the worst set of crises in this country since the Great Depression," Sanders told NPR's All Things Considered. "I do not believe that it is appropriate for members of Congress to go back to their families for the Christmas holidays while so many millions of families in this country are struggling just to stay alive."
NPR's Alana Wise contributed to this story


npr--2020-12-16--U.K.'s Top Court Lifts Ban On Heathrow's Plans For 3rd Runway

Just half a year after climate activists won a big legal victory in the U.K. effectively blocking plans for a third runway at London 's Heathrow Airport on environmental grounds , the country 's highest court has turned the tables once more .
The British Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the appellate court decision , reopening the door to a significant — and controversial — expansion of one of the world 's busiest international hubs .
Previously , in the appellate court decision in February , judges found that the U.K. government had failed to mind the country 's international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third runway in its Airports National Policy Statement , or ANPS .
The British government did not appeal that decision , but the company that operates the airport did .
And on Wednesday , a panel of five justices unanimously agreed with Heathrow Airport Holdings , saying that — unlike the appellate court — they were satisfied with the considerations undertaken by government officials .
`` This is not a case in which the Secretary of State omitted to give any consideration to the Paris Agreement ; nor is it one in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agreement when the Secretary of State decided to issue the ANPS , '' the court found , referring to the 2015 Paris climate deal in which nearly 200 countries pledged to reduce their greenhouse emissions .
`` On the contrary , the Secretary of State took the Paris Agreement into account and ... he gave weight to it and ensured that those obligations would be brought into account in decisions to be taken under the framework established by the ANPS . ''
The ruling represents a stinging reversal for climate activists , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` hugely influential '' landmark .
Plan B , the climate-centric legal charity that helped bring the original legal challenge to the runway , protested that Wednesday 's ruling `` has betrayed us all . ''
`` The pandemic has reminded us of our subjection to natural laws , '' Plan B Director Tim Crosland said in a statement , which he posted one day before the official release of the ruling , breaking a news embargo in order to protest its `` deep immorality . ''
`` The Paris Temperature Limit is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of crisis upon crisis . ''
Meanwhile on Wednesday , the company behind Heathrow lauded the judgment as `` the right result for the country . ''
`` Only by expanding the UK 's hub airport can we connect all of Britain to all of the growing markets of the world , helping to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in every nation and region of our country , '' a Heathrow spokesperson said in a statement .
`` Heathrow has already committed to net zero , '' the spokesperson added , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning process that will require us to prove expansion is compliant with the UK 's climate change obligations , including the Paris Climate Agreement , before construction can begin . ''
Now , the judgment does not ensure that a third runway will , in fact , be built .
The coronavirus pandemic has sent the aviation industry reeling , severely diminishing passenger demand and potentially setting Heathrow 's expansion plans back by at least five years .
Climate activists have also vowed to continue to challenge the plans in court at every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their cause has got the support of one prominent local politician .
`` This decision to allow Heathrow Airport a third runway will have a damaging impact on air quality , noise and London 's ability to achieve net-zero carbon by 2030 , '' Sadiq Khan , mayor of the British capital , said in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling .
`` I urge Heathrow to drop these damaging plans and work with us on a cleaner , greener recovery . ''

U.K.'s Top Court Lifts Ban On Heathrow's Plans For 3rd Runway
Enlarge this image toggle caption Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images
Just half a year after climate activists won a big legal victory in the U.K. effectively blocking plans for a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport on environmental grounds, the country's highest court has turned the tables once more.
The British Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the appellate court decision, reopening the door to a significant — and controversial — expansion of one of the world's busiest international hubs.
Previously, in the appellate court decision in February, judges found that the U.K. government had failed to mind the country's international climate commitments when developing plans for the third runway in its Airports National Policy Statement, or ANPS. The British government did not appeal that decision, but the company that operates the airport did.
And on Wednesday, a panel of five justices unanimously agreed with Heathrow Airport Holdings, saying that — unlike the appellate court — they were satisfied with the considerations undertaken by government officials.
"This is not a case in which the Secretary of State omitted to give any consideration to the Paris Agreement; nor is it one in which no weight was given to the Paris Agreement when the Secretary of State decided to issue the ANPS," the court found, referring to the 2015 Paris climate deal in which nearly 200 countries pledged to reduce their greenhouse emissions.
"On the contrary, the Secretary of State took the Paris Agreement into account and ... he gave weight to it and ensured that those obligations would be brought into account in decisions to be taken under the framework established by the ANPS."
The ruling represents a stinging reversal for climate activists, who had celebrated the February decision as a "hugely influential" landmark. Plan B, the climate-centric legal charity that helped bring the original legal challenge to the runway, protested that Wednesday's ruling "has betrayed us all."
"The pandemic has reminded us of our subjection to natural laws," Plan B Director Tim Crosland said in a statement, which he posted one day before the official release of the ruling, breaking a news embargo in order to protest its "deep immorality." "The Paris Temperature Limit is all that divides us from a grim future of crisis upon crisis."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images
Meanwhile on Wednesday, the company behind Heathrow lauded the judgment as "the right result for the country."
"Only by expanding the UK's hub airport can we connect all of Britain to all of the growing markets of the world, helping to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in every nation and region of our country," a Heathrow spokesperson said in a statement.
"Heathrow has already committed to net zero," the spokesperson added, "and this ruling recognises the robust planning process that will require us to prove expansion is compliant with the UK's climate change obligations, including the Paris Climate Agreement, before construction can begin."
Now, the judgment does not ensure that a third runway will, in fact, be built.
The coronavirus pandemic has sent the aviation industry reeling, severely diminishing passenger demand and potentially setting Heathrow's expansion plans back by at least five years. Climate activists have also vowed to continue to challenge the plans in court at every step of the proposed development — and their cause has got the support of one prominent local politician.
"This decision to allow Heathrow Airport a third runway will have a damaging impact on air quality, noise and London's ability to achieve net-zero carbon by 2030," Sadiq Khan, mayor of the British capital, said in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling. "I urge Heathrow to drop these damaging plans and work with us on a cleaner, greener recovery."


npr--2020-12-16--A Million Dollar Prize For A Doc Who Believes In 'Accompaniment'

A Million Dollar Prize For A Doc Who Believes In 'Accompaniment' When Dr. Paul Farmer learned that he would receive a million-dollar award for his work , he was a bit ... baffled .
He is a Harvard Medical School professor , medical anthropologist and co-founder of Partners In Health , an organization whose mission is to bring modern medical care to those in need around the world .
But the words `` medicine '' or `` health '' do not appear in the award , announced Dec. 16 .
It is the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a prize with the word 'philosophy , ' '' he says .
And yet it 's apt , says Nicolas Berggruen , real estate investor and founder of the private equity firm Berggruen Holdings .
He founded the Berggruen Institute that awarded the prize to Farmer .
`` We have a simple idea .
It is to reward somebody who is developing new thinking to help society evolve , '' he says .
Farmer , 61 , who is the author of the new book Fevers , Feuds , And Diamonds : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke with NPR from his home in Miami , Florida , about his philosophy and his life 's work .
In a 2011 address to Harvard students , you talked about a key element of your philosophy of care that you call `` accompaniment . ''
You said , `` There 's an element of mystery and openness in accompaniment : I 'll keep you company and share your fate for a while .
And not just a little while . ''
The promise to stick with patients through thick and thin seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settings .
What does `` accompaniment '' mean to you in a health-care setting ?
I 'm an infectious disease specialist .
I work in hospitals , in ICUs .
But that 's just a tiny fraction of what 's needed .
When people are unable to make choices — if they 're in prison , or refugee camps or are impoverished — they 're less able to adhere to a treatment .
They need help outside the hospital or clinic .
In Haiti , community health workers are called accompagnateurs , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health workers do what your mother does for you when you 're sick and stay at home .
She stays with you , she accompanies you .
Accompaniment means : I 'll go with you and support you on your journey wherever it leads .
I 'll keep you company .
You 've worked in impoverished areas of Haiti , Peru , West Africa , and Guatemala .
What have you learned about how to provide care to the world 's poorest people ?
I 've learned that social disparities like racism get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside of us get into us ?
If you look at apartheid in South Africa , you see that people get sick with tuberculosis , malaria and other diseases because of poor work conditions , lack of jobs , shantytowns .
You have to look at what 's happening to the patient in front of you , and think about ways to address social disparities .
If there 's food insecurity , then you provide food when you provide care .
Or if patients drop out of treatment , you provide transportation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health workers to the patient .
I had an epiphany in Haiti during the early AIDS years .
We were working with women 's groups about HIV prevention , and one woman said that prevention is about `` food , wood and water . ''
If you want to protect women from HIV , make sure they have jobs so that , in their struggle to survive , they have no need to become commercial sex workers .
How would you compare the health care provided in the world 's poorest countries to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people ?
They 're pretty similar and pretty deplorable .
But I 've seen many examples of superior care in poor countries .
Rwanda , for example , was a small country coming out of genocide against Tutsi people in 1994 when the question for health authorities became how can we roll out a caregiving response to HIV .
I imagine distrust in authorities must have been at an all-time high .
Authorities dealt with the distrust by focusing its HIV response on the rural poor , genocide survivors and other poor people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who needed it the most .
Within just a few years they were providing universal access to new AIDS diagnostics and treatments .
If you compare that nationwide response to Americans marginalized by poverty and lack of insurance , the experience in Rwanda in providing AIDS treatment was better than in some parts of the U.S. How do those lessons translate to the current pandemic ?
With COVID-19 , you still must look at social conditions .
How do you expect someone to isolate for ten days or two weeks if they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay the rent or live in crowded conditions ?
I was in Rwanda during COVID-19 .
To go from an American city to Rwanda was to be humbled by the fact in Rwanda , they had few cases , very few deaths and high rates of mask wearing and contact tracing .
Why is the U.S. doing so poorly in this pandemic compared to other countries ?
Lots of things : Racial injustice and health inequities in addressing COVID-19 are reasons .
There 's a paranoid approach to politics and a lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history of underfunding public health measures , so that across the country , people say there are n't enough resources to do things like contact tracing .
And nothing is more tragic than the politicization of wearing a mask .
I mean , how did that happen ?
People insist that the virus does n't discriminate ; we 're all in the same boat .
Do you think that 's true ?
If we 're in the same boat , it 's a luxury liner with various classes of service .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some people are in places on that boat where they 're sure to do poorly .
Take a meat packing plant or a prison or a crowded slum somewhere or a reservation .
It 's absurd to claim the risk is the same as in a leafy suburb where people have big homes and can keep themselves isolated safely .
As the vaccine rollout begins in wealthy countries , what will happen if enough vaccine does n't get to poor countries ?
We really have to think globally .
Failing to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this pathogen lives on .
On a happier note : What will you do with a million dollars ?
It 's kind of wonderful to , one day , go suddenly into the donor class !
We 're in the middle of three crises bound up together : racial injustice , social disparities and a health-care crisis .
So I 'll steer some of that money to institutions like Partners in Health and the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery , Alabama .
My wife has worked with issues of rights for women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on my mind , too .
For myself — I plan to buy some bromeliads , a tropical beauty , for my garden .
Susan Brink is a freelance writer who covers health and medicine .
She is the author of The Fourth Trimester and co-author of A Change of Heart .

A Million Dollar Prize For A Doc Who Believes In 'Accompaniment'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Desiree Navarro/Getty Images Desiree Navarro/Getty Images
When Dr. Paul Farmer learned that he would receive a million-dollar award for his work, he was a bit ... baffled. He is a Harvard Medical School professor, medical anthropologist and co-founder of Partners In Health, an organization whose mission is to bring modern medical care to those in need around the world. But the words "medicine" or "health" do not appear in the award, announced Dec. 16. It is the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture. "I was a little shocked to get a prize with the word 'philosophy,'" he says.
And yet it's apt, says Nicolas Berggruen, real estate investor and founder of the private equity firm Berggruen Holdings. He founded the Berggruen Institute that awarded the prize to Farmer. "We have a simple idea. It is to reward somebody who is developing new thinking to help society evolve," he says.
Farmer, 61, who is the author of the new book Fevers, Feuds, And Diamonds: Ebola And The Ravages Of History, spoke with NPR from his home in Miami, Florida, about his philosophy and his life's work.
In a 2011 address to Harvard students, you talked about a key element of your philosophy of care that you call "accompaniment." You said, "There's an element of mystery and openness in accompaniment: I'll keep you company and share your fate for a while. And not just a little while." The promise to stick with patients through thick and thin seems basic but highly neglected in most medical settings. What does "accompaniment" mean to you in a health-care setting?
I'm an infectious disease specialist. I work in hospitals, in ICUs. But that's just a tiny fraction of what's needed. When people are unable to make choices — if they're in prison, or refugee camps or are impoverished — they're less able to adhere to a treatment. They need help outside the hospital or clinic. In Haiti, community health workers are called accompagnateurs, which means people who accompany. The community health workers do what your mother does for you when you're sick and stay at home. She stays with you, she accompanies you. Accompaniment means: I'll go with you and support you on your journey wherever it leads. I'll keep you company.
You've worked in impoverished areas of Haiti, Peru, West Africa, and Guatemala. What have you learned about how to provide care to the world's poorest people?
I've learned that social disparities like racism get into the body. How does something outside of us get into us? If you look at apartheid in South Africa, you see that people get sick with tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases because of poor work conditions, lack of jobs, shantytowns. You have to look at what's happening to the patient in front of you, and think about ways to address social disparities. If there's food insecurity, then you provide food when you provide care. Or if patients drop out of treatment, you provide transportation to the clinic, or you send community health workers to the patient.
I had an epiphany in Haiti during the early AIDS years. We were working with women's groups about HIV prevention, and one woman said that prevention is about "food, wood and water." If you want to protect women from HIV, make sure they have jobs so that, in their struggle to survive, they have no need to become commercial sex workers.
How would you compare the health care provided in the world's poorest countries to the care provided to America's poorest people?
They're pretty similar and pretty deplorable. But I've seen many examples of superior care in poor countries. Rwanda, for example, was a small country coming out of genocide against Tutsi people in 1994 when the question for health authorities became how can we roll out a caregiving response to HIV. I imagine distrust in authorities must have been at an all-time high. Authorities dealt with the distrust by focusing its HIV response on the rural poor, genocide survivors and other poor people. They provided care first to those who needed it the most. Within just a few years they were providing universal access to new AIDS diagnostics and treatments. If you compare that nationwide response to Americans marginalized by poverty and lack of insurance, the experience in Rwanda in providing AIDS treatment was better than in some parts of the U.S.
How do those lessons translate to the current pandemic?
With COVID-19, you still must look at social conditions. How do you expect someone to isolate for ten days or two weeks if they don't have enough food or can't pay the rent or live in crowded conditions?
I was in Rwanda during COVID-19. To go from an American city to Rwanda was to be humbled by the fact in Rwanda, they had few cases, very few deaths and high rates of mask wearing and contact tracing.
Why is the U.S. doing so poorly in this pandemic compared to other countries?
Lots of things: Racial injustice and health inequities in addressing COVID-19 are reasons. There's a paranoid approach to politics and a lack of leadership. There's been a long history of underfunding public health measures, so that across the country, people say there aren't enough resources to do things like contact tracing. And nothing is more tragic than the politicization of wearing a mask. I mean, how did that happen?
People insist that the virus doesn't discriminate; we're all in the same boat. Do you think that's true?
If we're in the same boat, it's a luxury liner with various classes of service. There are some people down in the bilge. Some people are in places on that boat where they're sure to do poorly.
Take a meat packing plant or a prison or a crowded slum somewhere or a reservation. It's absurd to claim the risk is the same as in a leafy suburb where people have big homes and can keep themselves isolated safely.
As the vaccine rollout begins in wealthy countries, what will happen if enough vaccine doesn't get to poor countries?
We really have to think globally. Failing to have a rapid rollout around the world will ensure that this pathogen lives on.
On a happier note: What will you do with a million dollars?
It's kind of wonderful to, one day, go suddenly into the donor class! We're in the middle of three crises bound up together: racial injustice, social disparities and a health-care crisis. So I'll steer some of that money to institutions like Partners in Health and the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. My wife has worked with issues of rights for women and girls, and that work is on my mind, too.
For myself — I plan to buy some bromeliads, a tropical beauty, for my garden.
Susan Brink is a freelance writer who covers health and medicine. She is the author of The Fourth Trimester and co-author of A Change of Heart.


npr--2020-12-16--Coronavirus FAQ: Should I Wash My Kid's Clothes Every Day After School?

Coronavirus FAQ : Should I Wash My Kid 's Clothes Every Day After School ?
Each week , we answer frequently asked questions about life during the coronavirus crisis .
If you have a question you 'd like us to consider for a future post , email us at goatsandsoda @ npr.org with the subject line : `` Weekly Coronavirus Questions . ''
My kid is back in school .
Do I need to wash their clothes after they come home each day to be safe ?
It 's normal to wonder what you can do to minimize the risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a region where schools have reopened or plan on reopening soon .
And clothing is of particular concern .
Young kids do n't exactly have the greatest hygiene : They pick their nose , put their hands in their mouths , wipe dirt on their clothes , touch other kids — you get the idea .
So it makes sense to worry that viral particles could somehow get on your kid 's clothing and be a source of infection .
A sick kid could accidentally cough on the sleeve of another child 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that same sleeve to rub their nose or mouth .
Or parents could be strapping their kid into a car seat and accidentally touch a bit of clothing that has been compromised , then use those same hands to touch the nose or mouth or eyes .
Your instinct might be to wash your kid 's clothes once they get home from school so they 'll be not only clean but free of viral particles .
But does it make sense to do that ?
Every day ?
As Christopher Friese , nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Improving Patient and Population Health at the University of Michigan , puts it , washing clothes certainly ca n't hurt .
`` The practical solution would simply be to [ set aside ] those clothes and not wear them immediately the next day . ''
In other words , it 's perfectly fine to just dump it in the hamper until your next laundry day .
No need to ramp up your laundry schedule or separate them from other clothing in a different hamper .
In fact , the Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a person who is sick can be washed with other people 's items .
Use the warmest water possible and thoroughly dry the clothes .
Just make sure to clean and disinfect your clothes hamper from time to time , wiping them down with a standard household disinfectant .
But given what we know about the virus and how it tends to transmit , clothes are probably not something to stress too much about .
To explain , Friese points to a recent paper that models how SARS-CoV-2 can make us sick if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and clothing .
`` After eight hours on fabric [ made of a mix of cotton ] , [ researchers ] were n't able to find traces of the virus , '' Friese explains .
`` This is an encouraging sign that clothing is less of a transmission risk than previously noted .
The evidence would say not to worry too much . ''
Stephen Morse , an epidemiology professor at Columbia University says this advice can be applied to any other scenario where your clothes would be exposed to many surfaces , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bus or being in a place like an airport or airplane where you 'd have sustained contact with seats or equipment touched frequently by other people .
It 's probably a good idea to wash your clothes — or not rewear them for eight hours — after these trips anyway , but if you do n't , it 's unlikely to be the potential source of disease transmission .
Clean clothes aside , our sources stress it is far more important to focus energy on making sure your child follows the other precautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masking and hand hygiene .
These changes , Morse and Friese explain , are most likely to make the biggest difference in keeping your kid safe .
`` The real challenge is going to be washing hands , '' Friese emphasizes .
`` Even in good times , it 's really hard to get kids to do this . ''
Could the coronavirus hibernate inside your body and reemerge years later , like chickenpox ?
`` Obviously , time will tell , '' Morse says , `` but we have no evidence this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explains that chickenpox is a herpes virus — and its `` lifestyle '' is very different from the virus we 're currently dealing with .
As Morse puts it , herpes viruses really like to `` hang out '' in the human body , placing their genetic material into certain cells , so they can stay dormant for a long time .
On the other hand , this is not a trait that scientists have observed with other coronaviruses – which typically do n't tend to stay latent for years as those herpes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baskar is a freelance journalist who regularly answers coronavirus FAQs for NPR .

Coronavirus FAQ: Should I Wash My Kid's Clothes Every Day After School?
Each week, we answer frequently asked questions about life during the coronavirus crisis. If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
My kid is back in school. Do I need to wash their clothes after they come home each day to be safe?
It's normal to wonder what you can do to minimize the risk of virus transmission if you're in a region where schools have reopened or plan on reopening soon. And clothing is of particular concern. Young kids don't exactly have the greatest hygiene: They pick their nose, put their hands in their mouths, wipe dirt on their clothes, touch other kids — you get the idea.
So it makes sense to worry that viral particles could somehow get on your kid's clothing and be a source of infection. A sick kid could accidentally cough on the sleeve of another child's clothes, and the kid could use that same sleeve to rub their nose or mouth. Or parents could be strapping their kid into a car seat and accidentally touch a bit of clothing that has been compromised, then use those same hands to touch the nose or mouth or eyes.
About Goats and Soda Goats and Soda is NPR's global health and development blog. We tell stories of life in our changing world, focusing on low- and middle-income countries. And we keep in mind that we're all neighbors in this global village. Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about our team and coverage.
Your instinct might be to wash your kid's clothes once they get home from school so they'll be not only clean but free of viral particles. But does it make sense to do that? Every day?
As Christopher Friese, nursing professor and director of the Center for Improving Patient and Population Health at the University of Michigan, puts it, washing clothes certainly can't hurt.
"The practical solution would simply be to [set aside] those clothes and not wear them immediately the next day." In other words, it's perfectly fine to just dump it in the hamper until your next laundry day. No need to ramp up your laundry schedule or separate them from other clothing in a different hamper.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines that dirty laundry from a person who is sick can be washed with other people's items. Use the warmest water possible and thoroughly dry the clothes. Just make sure to clean and disinfect your clothes hamper from time to time, wiping them down with a standard household disinfectant.
But given what we know about the virus and how it tends to transmit, clothes are probably not something to stress too much about.
To explain, Friese points to a recent paper that models how SARS-CoV-2 can make us sick if the virus is on skin, currency and clothing.
"After eight hours on fabric [made of a mix of cotton], [researchers] weren't able to find traces of the virus," Friese explains. "This is an encouraging sign that clothing is less of a transmission risk than previously noted. The evidence would say not to worry too much."
Stephen Morse, an epidemiology professor at Columbia University says this advice can be applied to any other scenario where your clothes would be exposed to many surfaces, for example, sitting in a public bus or being in a place like an airport or airplane where you'd have sustained contact with seats or equipment touched frequently by other people. It's probably a good idea to wash your clothes — or not rewear them for eight hours — after these trips anyway, but if you don't, it's unlikely to be the potential source of disease transmission.
Clean clothes aside, our sources stress it is far more important to focus energy on making sure your child follows the other precautions at school: physical distancing, face masking and hand hygiene. These changes, Morse and Friese explain, are most likely to make the biggest difference in keeping your kid safe.
"The real challenge is going to be washing hands," Friese emphasizes. "Even in good times, it's really hard to get kids to do this."
Could the coronavirus hibernate inside your body and reemerge years later, like chickenpox?
"Obviously, time will tell," Morse says, "but we have no evidence this is likely to happen."
Morse explains that chickenpox is a herpes virus — and its "lifestyle" is very different from the virus we're currently dealing with. As Morse puts it, herpes viruses really like to "hang out" in the human body, placing their genetic material into certain cells, so they can stay dormant for a long time.
On the other hand, this is not a trait that scientists have observed with other coronaviruses – which typically don't tend to stay latent for years as those herpes viruses do, Morse explains.
Pranav Baskar is a freelance journalist who regularly answers coronavirus FAQs for NPR.


npr--2020-12-16--U.S. Retail Spending Declined The Most Since Historic Plunge In April

U.S. Retail Spending Declined The Most Since Historic Plunge In April Updated at 11:11 a.m .
ET U.S. retail spending declined the most since a historic plunge in April as new coronavirus surges restricted outings to stores and restaurants .
Retail sales dipped 1.1 % in November compared with a month earlier , the Commerce Department said Wednesday .
However , retail spending — excluding food service — was still up 7.1 % when compared with a year earlier , in part thanks to record-setting Black Friday and Cyber Monday online shopping sprees .
Like for much of the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as restaurants and bars took the biggest hits last month again .
All have struggled to recover from waves of shutdowns and closures , and sales are still down heavily compared with last year .
The Commerce Department also revised October 's data to show a decline of 0.1 % instead of an increase of 0.3 % .
For November , here 's where the data showed people spending , compared with a month earlier : U.S. shoppers are on track to spend more than $ 755 billion during the key end-of-the-year weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fact , began in October .
Retailers marked a record-setting start to the holiday shopping season but also warned they did n't know how much they 'd be affected by pushing their biggest sales to earlier in the year .
After an unusual delay because of pandemic uncertainty , the National Retail Federation is now forecasting that retail sales will grow between 3.6 % and 5.2 % to their highest level ever during a holiday shopping season .
The trade group says shoppers will spend on average $ 998 on gifts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — yearning to feel special in a difficult year .
Malls and food establishments , however , have been hammered by waves of shutdowns and restrictions as the U.S. has struggled to contain the pandemic .
Spending at restaurants and bars is down 17.2 % compared with last year .
The National Restaurant Association says 110,000 restaurants , or 17 % nationwide , have permanently closed during the pandemic after being in business for an average of 16 years .
Many businesses — and families — have been anxiously watching U.S. lawmakers ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Several federal programs , including some unemployment benefits , are expiring at the end of December .
The latest government reports have painted a troubling picture of U.S. economic recovery : The number of people filing new unemployment claims jumped sharply , while new hiring slowed more than expected .
In retail , however , a surge in online shopping has led giants such as Amazon and Walmart to go on hiring sprees , especially for people to staff warehouses overflowing with orders .
The Labor Department 's data , adjusted for seasonal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 35,000 retail jobs in November , but an increase of 145,000 jobs in transportation and warehousing .

U.S. Retail Spending Declined The Most Since Historic Plunge In April
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 11:11 a.m. ET
U.S. retail spending declined the most since a historic plunge in April as new coronavirus surges restricted outings to stores and restaurants.
Retail sales dipped 1.1% in November compared with a month earlier, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.
However, retail spending — excluding food service — was still up 7.1% when compared with a year earlier, in part thanks to record-setting Black Friday and Cyber Monday online shopping sprees.
Like for much of the year, clothing and department stores as well as restaurants and bars took the biggest hits last month again. All have struggled to recover from waves of shutdowns and closures, and sales are still down heavily compared with last year.
Loading...
The Commerce Department also revised October's data to show a decline of 0.1% instead of an increase of 0.3%.
For November, here's where the data showed people spending, compared with a month earlier:
Grocery stores: +1.9%
Home improvement and gardening stores: +1.1%
Online retailers: +0.2%
Sports, music and other hobby stores: -0.6%
Big-box stores: -1%
Furniture stores: -1.1%
Electronics stores: -3.5%
Restaurants and bars: -4%
Clothing and accessories stores: -6.8%
Department stores: -7.7%
U.S. shoppers are on track to spend more than $755 billion during the key end-of-the-year weeks — but many of the sales, in fact, began in October.
Retailers marked a record-setting start to the holiday shopping season but also warned they didn't know how much they'd be affected by pushing their biggest sales to earlier in the year.
After an unusual delay because of pandemic uncertainty, the National Retail Federation is now forecasting that retail sales will grow between 3.6% and 5.2% to their highest level ever during a holiday shopping season.
The trade group says shoppers will spend on average $998 on gifts, food, decorations and other holiday items — yearning to feel special in a difficult year.
Malls and food establishments, however, have been hammered by waves of shutdowns and restrictions as the U.S. has struggled to contain the pandemic. Spending at restaurants and bars is down 17.2% compared with last year.
The National Restaurant Association says 110,000 restaurants, or 17% nationwide, have permanently closed during the pandemic after being in business for an average of 16 years.
Many businesses — and families — have been anxiously watching U.S. lawmakers' protracted debate over extending pandemic aid. Several federal programs, including some unemployment benefits, are expiring at the end of December.
The latest government reports have painted a troubling picture of U.S. economic recovery: The number of people filing new unemployment claims jumped sharply, while new hiring slowed more than expected.
In retail, however, a surge in online shopping has led giants such as Amazon and Walmart to go on hiring sprees, especially for people to staff warehouses overflowing with orders. The Labor Department's data, adjusted for seasonal hiring patterns, showed a net loss of 35,000 retail jobs in November, but an increase of 145,000 jobs in transportation and warehousing.


npr--2020-12-17--FDA Panel Weighs Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine

The same group of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration that voted to recommend the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use a week ago convenes again today to consider the Moderna vaccine .
The agency frequently seeks advice from these committees of independent experts when considering whether to make available a new drug or vaccine .
In this case , the agency will ask the committee to vote on whether the evidence shows that the benefits of the Moderna vaccine outweigh its risks .
On Tuesday , the FDA released its analysis of the vaccine , along with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found the vaccine to be 94 % effective and to have a `` favorable safety profile '' that raises `` no specific safety concerns identified that would preclude issuance of an EUA , '' or emergency use authorization .
Some side effects were very common in the main clinical trial of the Moderna vaccine , which included more than 30,000 people , half of whom received two shots of vaccine and half two shots of placebo a month apart .
Most everyone experienced pain at the injection site — 92 % .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , headache ( 63 % ) and muscle pain ( 60 % ) .
Serious adverse reactions were uncommon .
There were three reports of a facial paralysis called Bell 's palsy in the vaccine group and one in the placebo group .
The FDA said there was n't enough information to determine if the vaccine caused the cases .
One goal of the public meeting is to provide transparency about the evidence for the vaccine .
Another is to build confidence in the process .
The documents and testimony from agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which will culminate in a vote late Thursday afternoon .
The FDA analysis supports a case that the Moderna vaccine should be authorized for emergency use , a quicker approach than the standard for full licensure .
During the panel meeting about the Pfizer vaccine , the main sticking point was whether the evidence for use of the vaccine in 16- and 17-year-0lds was sufficient to include them in the population to get the vaccine .
The vote 17-4 , with one abstention , to recommend an EUA including those people reflected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts that the evidence was adequate .
Still , the solid majority vote paved the way for the agency to OK the vaccine , including for use in older adolescents .
Authorization of Moderna 's vaccine will be considered only for adults , so the meeting may go more smoothly .
The agency acted day after the panel meeting for Pfizer 's vaccine .
FDA granted it emergency use authorization late last Friday night , making it the first COVID-19 to be mobilized in the fight against the disease .
Moderna 's vaccine @ @ @ @ @

FDA Panel Recommends Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine For Emergency Use
Enlarge this image toggle caption Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
In a 20-0 vote, with one abstention, a panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Moderna be authorized for emergency use in adults during the pandemic.
If the agency authorizes the vaccine for emergency use, as is expected, it would become the second to be deployed in the U.S to fight the coronavirus.
The vote in favor of the vaccine was taken to answer the agency's question: Do the benefits of the Moderna vaccine outweigh its risks for use in people age 18 and older?
The vaccine is 94% effective in preventing COVID-19, and the agency's analysis said there are no specific safety concerns that would stand in the way of authorization.
One member of the committee reframed the question during the deliberations. "The question that's being asked [of] us is do we have enough evidence in hand to say that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh what, at the moment as far as severe safety issues, are theoretical risks. I think the answer to that question is clearly yes," said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "The question is never when do you know everything, it's when do you know enough."
YouTube
On Tuesday, the FDA released its analysis of the vaccine, along with an information packet from Moderna. The agency found the vaccine to be effective and to have a "favorable safety profile."
Some side effects were common in the main clinical trial of the Moderna vaccine, which included more than 30,000 people, half of whom received two shots of vaccine and half of whom received two shots of placebo a month apart. Most everyone experienced pain at the injection site — 92%. Other common reactions included fatigue (69%), headache (63%) and muscle pain (60%).
Serious adverse reactions were uncommon. There were three reports of a facial paralysis called Bell's palsy in the vaccine group and one in the placebo group. The FDA said there wasn't enough information to determine if the vaccine caused the cases.
Questions about allergic reactions came up during the committee meeting. There have been reports of severe allergic reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine since it was rolled out in the U.K. and this country.
David Martin, vice president for pharmacovigilance at Moderna, said there were no cases of anaphylaxis immediately following vaccination among the nearly 15,000 people who got the vaccine as part of the company's phase 3 clinical trial. He added: "It's important to note that participants with a history of anaphylaxis or urticaria or other hypersensitivity, were not excluded from study 301," as the Moderna phase 3 trial is called.
The FDA analysis supports a case that the Moderna vaccine should be authorized for emergency use, a quicker approach than the standard for full licensure.
During the committee meeting about the Pfizer vaccine, the main sticking point was whether the evidence for use of the vaccine in 16- and 17-year-olds was sufficient to include them in the population to get the vaccine. The 17-4 vote, with one abstention, to recommend an emergency use authorization including those people reflected some doubts among a few of the experts that the evidence was adequate. Still, the solid majority vote paved the way for the agency to OK the vaccine, including for use in older adolescents.
Authorization of Moderna's vaccine was only considered for adults, so the committee didn't have to grapple with the issue of what to do about younger people.
A week ago, however, Moderna said it had begun testing the vaccine in adolescents ages 12 to less than 18 earlier. Those data could support an expansion of vaccine use in the future.
The FDA authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine last Friday, a day after the same panel voted in favor of it. It wouldn't be a surprise if the agency followed the same timetable for Moderna's.
Joe Palca contributed to this report.


npr--2020-12-17--Brexit Countdown: What To Know As The United Kingdom Leaves The EU

Brexit Countdown : What To Know As The United Kingdom Leaves The EU Four and a half years after the landmark Brexit referendum , the United Kingdom is scheduled to leave the European Union at 11 p.m. London time on New Year 's Eve .
With the clock running down , the two sides are still trying to negotiate a new free trade agreement to avert major disruptions at borders and more economic damage as the coronavirus surges again in the cold winter months .
Here are some of the top issues at play : What is the latest ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to maintain tariff-free and quota-free access to the massive European market of nearly 450 million consumers .
Given that , the two sides are still divided over key issues .
For instance , how much access will European fleets continue to have to British fishing grounds ?
Fishing accounts for less than 1 % of the British economy , but it has a powerful , symbolic value .
The nation 's fishing grounds also play an outsize role because they easily illustrate the Brexit pledge , `` take back control . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ How can the EU retaliate if the U.K. decides to depart from the bloc 's regulations in a way that gives British businesses a competitive advantage ?
Brexit deadlines have come and gone , but leaders of the main political groups in the European Parliament say they will not be able to ratify a deal unless they have it by midnight Sunday .
Despite the sticking points , European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has voiced some cautious optimism .
`` I can not tell you whether there will be a deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you that there is a path to an agreement , '' she said Wednesday .
`` The path may be very narrow , but it is there and it is therefore our responsibility to continue trying . ''
Why is this so difficult ?
Is this about something bigger ?
It 's about different values and different visions .
The EU is a club in which members cede some national control in exchange for their people and businesses to access its massive single market .
The European Union is also an idea : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stronger and safer together , because this economic interdependence is a deterrent to the kind of cataclysmic violence that devastated the Continent in two world wars .
Brexiteers , on the other hand , believe in the centrality of the nation-state .
They argue that the U.K. will ultimately be more prosperous and more successful when it is free from the regulations and bureaucracy of Brussels , where the EU is headquartered .
Why should Americans or anyone outside Europe care about this ?
The EU has many flaws .
Its critics see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gravy train of sinecures for Eurocrats .
But it is also a pillar — along with NATO — of the post-World War II architecture that America played a major role in designing .
The EU has largely helped keep the peace on the Continent and fostered shared prosperity through near-seamless trade .
Weakening or breaking up the EU would be a gift to Western rivals such as Russian President Vladimir Putin .
How will U.K. travel , work and immigration change next year ?
Brexit was won , in part , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borders and immigration from the EU .
Britons will still be able to travel visa-free to most EU countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period next year , but in 2022 , they will have to apply for visa waivers .
British citizens who have already been living in the EU and EU citizens already residing in the U.K. have the right to remain .
But immigration will become much more difficult after Brexit on both sides of the English Channel .
For instance , EU citizens who want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apply through a skills-based points system that `` aims to attract people who can contribute to the UK 's economy . ''
What happens if the EU and the U.K. ca n't agree on a new trade deal ?
The U.K. will begin trading under World Trade Organization rules , which means both sides will be free to slap tariffs on a variety of products the other produces .
This would snarl trade at ports and raise transaction costs .
The British government has warned of backups 7,000 trucks long at the Port @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to raise food prices in the U.K. by a small percentage .
The head of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders , the country 's auto trade body , says a `` no-deal '' Brexit `` would be nothing less than catastrophic for the automotive sector , its workers and their families and represent a stunning failure of statecraft . ''
What if there is a deal ?
That would be a relief to most U.K. businesses as there would be less disruption .
But there would still be customs checks for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to slow trade across the English Channel .
And even a trade deal comes at a price .
Economists estimate it will cost Britain 6.4 % of growth in per capita income over the next decade .
Are the U.K. government and businesses ready for this fundamental change in the relationship ?
No .
British businesses are furious that the government has not spelled out exactly how they need to prepare for these two possibilities .
Companies are also frustrated that the government has allowed negotiations to go down to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investment decisions , and Brexit has been anything but certain .
`` I 'm so angry about the fact that everything is so last minute , '' said Sally Jones , who works for EY , the professional services firm , and helps companies prepare for Brexit .
`` The fact that we 've got a situation where U.K. traders will not be able to first access the customs declaration systems until the 23rd of December is crazy . ''

Brexit Countdown: What To Know As Britain And The EU Fight Over Their Divorce
Enlarge this image toggle caption Olivier Hoslet/Pool/AP Olivier Hoslet/Pool/AP
Four and a half years after the landmark Brexit referendum, the United Kingdom is still arguing with the European Union about their future relationship.
Britain officially left the EU in January and has spent the last 11 months in a transitional phase while the two sides try to negotiate a new free trade agreement to avert major disruptions at borders and more economic damage.
The transition ends at midnight Brussels time on Dec. 31.
Here are some of the top issues still to be settled:
What is the latest?
The U.K. is leaving the EU while trying to maintain tariff-free and quota-free access to the massive European market of nearly 450 million consumers. Given that, the two sides are still divided over key issues.
For instance, how much access will European fleets continue to have to British fishing grounds? Fishing accounts for less than 1% of the British economy, but it has a powerful, symbolic value. The nation's fishing grounds also play an outsize role because they easily illustrate the Brexit pledge, "take back control."
Another issue in the current talks: How can the EU retaliate if the U.K. decides to depart from the bloc's regulations in a way that gives British businesses a competitive advantage?
Brexit deadlines have come and gone, but leaders of the main political groups in the European Parliament say they will not be able to ratify a deal unless they have it by midnight Sunday.
Despite the sticking points, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has voiced some cautious optimism. "I cannot tell you whether there will be a deal or not, but I can tell you that there is a path to an agreement," she said Wednesday. "The path may be very narrow, but it is there and it is therefore our responsibility to continue trying."
Why is this so difficult? Is this about something bigger?
It's about different values and different visions. The EU is a club in which members cede some national control in exchange for their people and businesses to access its massive single market. The European Union is also an idea: that 27 member states are better, stronger and safer together, because this economic interdependence is a deterrent to the kind of cataclysmic violence that devastated the Continent in two world wars. Brexiteers, on the other hand, believe in the centrality of the nation-state. They argue that the U.K. will ultimately be more prosperous and more successful when it is free from the regulations and bureaucracy of Brussels, where the EU is headquartered.
Why should Americans or anyone outside Europe care about this?
The EU has many flaws. Its critics see it as hopelessly bureaucratic and something of a gravy train of sinecures for Eurocrats. But it is also a pillar — along with NATO — of the post-World War II architecture that America played a major role in designing. The EU has largely helped keep the peace on the Continent and fostered shared prosperity through near-seamless trade. Weakening or breaking up the EU would be a gift to rivals such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
How will U.K. travel, work and immigration change next year?
Brexit was won, in part, on the pledge to take back control of borders and immigration from the EU. Britons will still be able to travel visa-free to most EU countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period next year, but in 2022, they will have to apply for visa waivers. British citizens who have already been living in the EU and EU citizens already residing in the U.K. have the right to remain. But immigration will become much more difficult after Brexit on both sides of the English Channel. For instance, EU citizens who want to work in the U.K. will have to apply through a skills-based points system that "aims to attract people who can contribute to the UK's economy."
What happens if the EU and the U.K. can't agree on a new trade deal?
The U.K. will begin trading under World Trade Organization rules, which means both sides will be free to slap tariffs on a variety of products the other produces. This would snarl trade at ports and raise transaction costs. The British government has warned of backups 7,000 trucks long at the Port of Dover. Tariffs are also expected to raise food prices in the U.K. by a small percentage. The head of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the country's auto trade body, says a "no-deal" Brexit "would be nothing less than catastrophic for the automotive sector, its workers and their families and represent a stunning failure of statecraft."
What if there is a deal?
That would be a relief to most U.K. businesses as there would be less disruption. But there would still be customs checks for the first time in decades, which is expected to slow trade across the English Channel. And even a trade deal comes at a price. Economists estimate it will cost Britain 6.4% of growth in per capita income over the next decade.
Are the U.K. government and businesses ready for this fundamental change in the relationship?
No. British businesses are furious that the government has not spelled out exactly how they need to prepare for these two possibilities. Companies are also frustrated that the government has allowed negotiations to go down to the wire. Businesses require certainty to make investment decisions, and Brexit has been anything but certain.
"I'm so angry about the fact that everything is so last minute," said Sally Jones, who works for EY, the professional services firm, and helps companies prepare for Brexit. "The fact that we've got a situation where U.K. traders will not be able to first access the customs declaration systems until the 23rd of December is crazy."
NPR's London producer Jessica Beck contributed to this report.


npr--2020-12-17--Coronavirus Is Surging: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Is Surging : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 16 million people in the U.S. have had confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 300,000 have died of COVID-19 .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capita .
The consortium of researchers and public health experts who developed these risk levels advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
They advise orange states to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and all states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state 's totals to date .
This type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
New cases fell from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 900 a day most of the summer , before starting to rise in the fall .
Explore the map above to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid October , California , Florida and Texas surpass New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases and or update their methodologies .
For example , in early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
On Sept. 2 , Massachusetts changed its methodology for counting probable cases , which lowered its overall case and death numbers .
The JHU team maintains a list of such changes .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-12-17--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January .
In late spring and early summer , new COVID-19 cases were largely driven by cases in the Americas .
While the U.S. has consistently had the most new daily cases of coronavirus in the region , Brazil 's new daily cases increased rapidly between May and August .
However , in September , several countries that had previously flattened their curve saw a resurgence in cases , including Spain and France .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swiftly since June .
Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time .
The first chart compares each continent to each other , while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region .
To compare country outbreaks , the chart below graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each country 's totals to date .
This type of visualization highlights a state 's daily growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In countries like Israel , which is seeing a second wave of case growth after an initial wave in April , the line forms a V-shape , as the initially bent curve spikes upwards again .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on March 30 , 2020 .

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-12-17--ER Doctor Says He Walks Into A 'War Zone' Every Day

ER Doctor Says He Walks Into A 'War Zone ' Every Day Emergency room physician Cleavon Gilman compares working in a hospital amid the pandemic to war .
`` You can actually die at your job now , and that 's never really been an issue before , '' he says .
He has the experience to make the comparison : Gilman served as a combat medic in the Iraq War .
`` Health care providers are walking into a war zone every day where we can be killed by this virus , and even serve as a Trojan horse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to kill our loved ones , '' Gilman tells Rachel Martin on Morning Edition .
`` The amount of emotional strain our health care providers are under right now is just unimaginable . ''
The pandemic has created multiple crises for health care workers .
Hospitals are stretched thin — in beds , but more so in staffing .
In Yuma , Ariz. , where Gilman works , about half of the county 's hospital beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients .
That level is a `` nightmare '' scenario for staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Then health workers have to worry about getting sick with COVID-19 themselves .
More than 1,400 health care workers have already died , according to one count by The Guardian and Kaiser Health News .
And there 's also mental health strain .
Researchers expect many of those working now to be at enhanced risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder .
Physicians are already at higher-than-average risk of suicide , with one analysis putting the number at about 300 to 400 dying by suicide per year in the U.S. , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent months writing about the virus and the strains it has caused for frontline workers , but he gained widespread attention last month after tweeting that there were no longer enough ICU beds at Yuma Regional Medical Center .
Gilman says he was let go because of the tweet , but the hospital later called it `` a misunderstanding . ''
On Monday , he was back at work , or `` back on the battlefield , '' as he tells NPR in an interview about the challenges that he and other health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis .
Here are excerpts .
How have you been doing ?
This pandemic has been very personal .
I 've had three colleagues who have died from this .
Two nurses , as well as my mentor , Lorna Breen , who got COVID in New York , and she took her own life .
I think that this has just been extremely hard .
I 've also lost a cousin as well who was 27 years old , Simon Press .
One thing I 've kind of taken for granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken on my family as well .
We 've been isolated , quarantining for 10 months .
And this has really been very hard on my fiancée , who I 've taken from New York and I 've brought to a small community here .
Can you talk a little bit about the stigma of mental health and what it means for health professionals ?
There 's this false image that we are supposed to be perfect and that things ca n't really affect us .
I think even prior to this , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suicide per day and that was twice the national average .
It 's a very hard job to be an E.R .
doctor .
You know , at baseline , we work under a lot of stress .
Lives are in our hands .
And we have to make split second decisions that will affect an outcome of a person .
And enter the pandemic where upwards of 3,000 people are dying per day or 2,500 people are dying per day .
That is unprecedented .
And physicians and health care workers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grief , amount of trauma .
One of the problems is if we say something about that , when you actually apply for a job , there 's actually a questionnaire that you have to put psychiatric history on .
So people are reluctant to have that follow them throughout their medical career .
When I was a resident in New York , three doctors committed suicide — actually four — over my four years there .
And so this is a very prevalent problem and it needs to be addressed .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is this Lorna Breen Act ... to create more mental health programs and well-being programs .
What was it like to watch the first health care workers get vaccinated this week ?
It 's really amazing because we 've been waiting for this so long .
And it 's really important to get health care workers vaccinated because we are a limited resource .
I 'm really excited to get vaccinated here , it 's supposed to happen on December 20th .
...
I 've been doing this since March , for 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not been sick .
I 've been very lucky .
The audio for this story was produced and edited by Nina Kravinsky and Kelley Dickens .

ER Doctor Says He Walks Into A 'War Zone' Every Day
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cleavon Gilman Cleavon Gilman
Emergency room physician Cleavon Gilman compares working in a hospital amid the pandemic to war.
"You can actually die at your job now, and that's never really been an issue before," he says.
He has the experience to make the comparison: Gilman served as a combat medic in the Iraq War.
"Health care providers are walking into a war zone every day where we can be killed by this virus, and even serve as a Trojan horse to bring it home to our family and to kill our loved ones," Gilman tells Rachel Martin on Morning Edition. "The amount of emotional strain our health care providers are under right now is just unimaginable."
The pandemic has created multiple crises for health care workers.
Hospitals are stretched thin — in beds, but more so in staffing. In Yuma, Ariz., where Gilman works, about half of the county's hospital beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients. That level is a "nightmare" scenario for staff, as one health researcher recently described it.
Then health workers have to worry about getting sick with COVID-19 themselves. More than 1,400 health care workers have already died, according to one count by The Guardian and Kaiser Health News.
And there's also mental health strain. Researchers expect many of those working now to be at enhanced risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Physicians are already at higher-than-average risk of suicide, with one analysis putting the number at about 300 to 400 dying by suicide per year in the U.S., or about one per day.
Gilman has spent months writing about the virus and the strains it has caused for front-line workers, but he gained widespread attention last month after tweeting that there were no longer enough ICU beds at Yuma Regional Medical Center.
Gilman says he was let go because of the tweet, but the hospital later called it "a misunderstanding." On Monday, he was back at work, or "back on the battlefield," as he tells NPR in an interview about the challenges that he and other health care providers have been dealing with throughout the crisis. Here are excerpts.
Interview Highlights
How have you been doing?
This pandemic has been very personal. I've had three colleagues who have died from this. Two nurses, as well as my mentor, Lorna Breen, who got COVID in New York, and she took her own life. I think that this has just been extremely hard. I've also lost a cousin as well who was 27 years old, Simon Press. One thing I've kind of taken for granted is the toll that this has also taken on my family as well. We've been isolated, quarantining for 10 months. And this has really been very hard on my fiancée, who I've taken from New York and I've brought to a small community here.
Can you talk a little bit about the stigma of mental health and what it means for health professionals?
There's this false image that we are supposed to be perfect and that things can't really affect us.
I think even prior to this, I believe that one physician that committed suicide per day and that was twice the national average. It's a very hard job to be an ER doctor. You know, at baseline, we work under a lot of stress. Lives are in our hands. And we have to make split-second decisions that will affect an outcome of a person.
And enter the pandemic where upwards of 3,000 people are dying per day or 2,500 people are dying per day. That is unprecedented. And physicians and health care workers are not really trained for that amount of grief, amount of trauma.
One of the problems is if we say something about that, when you actually apply for a job, there's actually a questionnaire that you have to put psychiatric history on. So people are reluctant to have that follow them throughout their medical career.
When I was a resident in New York, three doctors committed suicide — actually four — over my four years there. And so this is a very prevalent problem and it needs to be addressed. One of the things that's occurring now is this Lorna Breen Act ... to create more mental health programs and well-being programs.
What was it like to watch the first health care workers get vaccinated this week?
It's really amazing because we've been waiting for this so long. And it's really important to get health care workers vaccinated because we are a limited resource. I'm really excited to get vaccinated here; it's supposed to happen on Dec. 20. ...
I've been doing this since March, for 10 months. God bless that I have not been sick. I've been very lucky.
The audio for this story was produced and edited by Nina Kravinsky and Kelley Dickens.


npr--2020-12-17--Sacklers Face House Panel Over Purdue Pharma Oxycontin Sales

In a surprise development , two members of the Sackler family who served on Purdue Pharma 's board until 2018 are testifying Thursday morning under oath before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform .
Their privately owned company developed and aggressively marketed Oxycontin in the 1990s , growing into one of the nation 's most profitable opioid producers .
David Sackler , Dr. Kathe Sackler and three other family members face a wave of civil lawsuits tied to their alleged role fueling the nation 's addiction crisis .
Overdoses linked to prescription opioids have killed more than 230,000 Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control and Prevention .
The House committee also requested that Richard Sackler and Mortimer Sackler testify , but they are not expected to appear .
Purdue Pharma CEO Craig Landau , who is also named in numerous lawsuits , is scheduled to testify .
The 9 a.m. hearing will take place by video because of public health precautions tied to the pandemic .
Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , who chairs the committee had threatened the Sacklers with subpoenas .
But after weeks of negotiations they agreed to testify voluntarily under oath .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoided the public eye as their company , which filed for bankruptcy last year , gained notoriety .
Indeed , even as the opioid epidemic accelerated , the Sacklers emerged as one of most prestigious philanthropic families in the world , donating to cultural and medical institutions .
In recent years , however , organizations ranging from New York University and Tufts University to the Louvre in Paris , have stripped the Sackler name from buildings .
Numerous art institutions , including the Guggenheim Museum in New York City and the Tate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no longer accept future donations from Sackler family trusts funded through opioid profits .
It 's unclear why members of the Sackler family agreed to testify publicly now .
A spokesperson for the family did n't respond to NPR 's inquiry .
In a statement , Rep. Maloney said her committee has `` obtained documents showing that members of the Sackler family were closely involved '' in Purdue 's campaign to boost sales even after the company acknowledged misleading the public about the drug 's risks .
Purdue Pharma admitted wrongdoing in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in a second DOJ settlement in October , the company again acknowledged criminal behavior that continued at least until 2018 .
The Sacklers , however , have denied any personal wrongdoing and have faced no criminal charges relating to their company 's operations .
They agreed to pay $ 225 million to the federal government as part of the settlement reached with DOJ officials .
Members of the family have also agreed to give up control of the firm and tentatively offered roughly $ 3 billion of their personal fortunes to settle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorneys general have said that amount is too low , given the harm caused by Oxycontin as well as the personal fortunes — estimated by Forbes at up to $ 13 billion — amassed by some of the Sacklers because of opioid profits .

Sacklers Deny Wrongdoing During House Panel Over Purdue Pharma Oxycontin Sales
Enlarge this image toggle caption Boston Globe via Getty Images Boston Globe via Getty Images
Updated at 1:22 p.m. ET
Members of the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma's CEO say they did nothing wrong during the years their company illegally marketed Oxycontin and other opioids.
"There's nothing I can find that I would have done differently," said Dr. Kathe Sackler who served on Purdue's board for nearly 20 years.
She testified under oath Thursday during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing. The Sacklers appeared before the panel voluntarily after being threatened with a subpoena. It was the first time members of the family faced a public accounting for their alleged role in the nation's deadly opioid epidemic, which has left more than 400,000 Americans dead, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the CDC, roughly 230,000 of those deaths were caused by prescription opioids including Oxycontin.
David Sackler, who also served on the board for six years, also denied any personal wrongdoing.
"The family and the board acted legally and ethically," he testified.
Both left Purdue Pharma in 2018 as legal and financial pressures on the company grew, but their family continues to own Purdue Pharma.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers took turns blasting the witnesses, describing their alleged actions as "criminal" and "obscene."
"We don't agree on a lot on this committee in a bipartisan way," said Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., co-chair of the committee. "But I think our opinion of Purdue Pharma and the actions of your family, we all agree are sickening."
Purdue Pharma introduced Oxycontin in the mid-1990s, falsely marketing the pills as a safer, less addictive option for doctors treating pain in their patients.
The company has now twice admitted — in 2007 and this past October — to criminal wrongdoing for misleading doctors, regulators and the public about the dangers of Oxycontin.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., chair of the committee demanded to know who would be held accountable for that misconduct.
"You pleaded guilty to criminal charges. Who committed these crimes? Which individual at Purdue committed those crimes?" Maloney asked.
"We're taking full accountability and full responsibility for those crimes," Purdue Pharma CEO Craig Landau said, pointing to billions of dollars in fines and penalties levied against the firm as part of the latest plea agreement with the Justice Department.
But Landau accepted no personal responsibility. He also declined to forfeit a $3 million bonus he's slated to receive, despite the fact that Purdue Pharma is now in bankruptcy.
Critics have pointed out the company currently lacks the assets to pay the full amount of settlements agreed to as part of the DOJ settlement and lacks the funds to compensate tens of thousands of opioid victims who have sued Purdue Pharma over its false marketing.
Forbes has estimated the Sacklers are worth roughly $13 billion largely because of profits generated by Oxycontin sales. Numerous lawmakers suggested Thursday that money should be "clawed back" by the federal government to compensate victims. They also said members of the Sackler family should face criminal charges like other alleged drug dealers.
"If one of my clients sold five pills of Oxycontin on the street, you know what their criminal penalty is?" said Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D. "It's a 10-year minimum mandatory minimum sentence."
Armstrong said the Sacklers' claim that they didn't understand the danger posed by their company's products "defies believability and is absolutely abhorrent and appalling to the victims of opioid addiction."