The Media and I: President Biden and Government Accountability

By Henry I. Miller, MS, MD — Aug 08, 2024
My latest conversation with Lars Larson.

I recently joined Lars Larson to discuss the pressing concerns surrounding President Joe Biden's cognitive abilities and the implications for his presidency. Lars and I discussed how some people in the medical field hesitate to diagnose someone from afar, but what we see and hear from Biden suggests a decline in cognitive function. A renowned neurologist even suggested he might suffer from a rare form of Parkinson's that affects cognition. Moreover, there have been reports that his staff avoids discussing certain topics with him to prevent agitation. 

We also touched on past policy failures, such as the infant formula shortage due to FDA mismanagement, which highlights the need for accountability in government agencies. While some suggest eliminating civil service protections to enhance accountability, I cautioned against it, as it could leave federal employees vulnerable to political pressure.

You can hear our entire conversation here

Interested in a deeper dive? 

‘Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.’ –Mark Twain

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Henry I. Miller, MS, MD

Henry I. Miller, MS, MD, is the Glenn Swogger Distinguished Fellow at the American Council on Science and Health. His research focuses on public policy toward science, technology, and medicine, encompassing a number of areas, including pharmaceutical development, genetic engineering, models for regulatory reform, precision medicine, and the emergence of new viral diseases. Dr. Miller served for fifteen years at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a number of posts, including as the founding director of the Office of Biotechnology.

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