16 Facts About Rick Bright

Rick Arthur Bright is an American immunologist, vaccine researcher, and public health official.

Rick Bright was the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority from 2016 to 2020.

Rick Bright's dissertation was titled Studies on pathogenicity and control of H5N1 influenza A viruses in mice.

From 1998 to 2002, Rick Bright worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, in the Influenza Branch, Immunology and Viral Pathogenesis Section, where he studied Influenza A virus subtype H5N1.

From 2006 to 2008, Rick Bright returned to working in the private sector of the biotechnology industry at Novavax in Maryland, where he was vice president of their global influenza programs as well as of their vaccine research and development.

Rick Bright was the scientific director of the influenza vaccine project as well as the global vaccine development program, a position he held until October 2010.

In 2010, Rick Bright joined the US Department of Health and Human Services governmental agency Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.

Rick Bright was the program lead of BARDA International Programs, then in June 2011 became acting chief of the influenza antiviral drug advanced development program, a position he held until December 2011.

On October 29,2019, two months prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Rick Bright participated in a meeting titled "Universal Flu Vaccine" at the Milken Institute School of Public Health with other government officials, including Anthony Fauci.

Rick Bright argued that although the drug had shown potential against coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2, it had already received substantial government support.

Rick Bright wanted to see more safety data for molnupiravir before final sign-off, due to the fact that some other nucleoside analogue drugs had caused birth defects in animal studies.

Rick Bright characterized his transfer as a retaliatory demotion and asked the HHS Inspector General to investigate it.

On May 5,2020, Rick Bright filed a whistleblower complaint against the HHS in the US Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency that protects whistleblowers.

Rick Bright suggested that the administration prioritized "cronyism over science" and that he had been pressured to let politics drive decisions rather than science.

Rick Bright was represented by attorney Debra Katz in connection with his whistleblower complaint.

On October 6,2020, Rick Bright submitted what he called his "involuntary resignation" from his final government post, because, as he explained, his superiors had made his work life intolerable.