Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Former CDC Chief's Arrest Over Groping Allegations May Derail Massive Public Health Initiative
The New York Times: Thomas Frieden, Former Head Of C.D.C., Arrested On Groping Charge
Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, who ran the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for eight years under President Obama, was arrested in Brooklyn on Friday morning and charged with groping a woman in his apartment in October 2017, the police said. A 55-year-old woman came forward to the police in July and said that Dr. Frieden squeezed her buttocks against her will nine months earlier, on Oct. 20, the police said. She told investigators the incident happened as she was leaving a gathering at Dr. Frieden’s residence on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights. (Wilson, 8/24)
The Wall Street Journal: Ex-CDC Head Thomas Frieden Arrested On Sex-Crime Charges In New York
Dr. Frieden was hosting a get-together at his home when the incident occurred, according to a senior law-enforcement official. Dr. Frieden squeezed the unidentified woman’s buttocks “on the way out the door” as people were exiting, added the official, who didn’t know if there were any other witnesses. The woman is someone who has been known by Dr. Frieden and his family for a number of years, according to two people familiar with the matter. (Kanno-Youngs and Betsy McKay, 8/24)
The Associated Press: Ex-CDC Director Frieden Accused Of Groping Woman's Buttocks
Dr. Thomas Frieden, who for years informed the public about dangers to their health, sat stone-faced as a judge warned him not to approach the woman, who accused him of groping her on Oct. 20, 2017, in his Brooklyn home. Frieden, who also is a former New York City health commissioner, was arrested earlier Friday on three charges: forcible touching, sex abuse and harassment. His attorney, Laura Brevetti, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. (8/24)
Stat: Former CDC Director Tom Frieden Arrested On Sexual Misconduct Charges
A spokesman for Frieden said: “This allegation does not reflect Dr. Frieden’s public or private behavior or his values over a lifetime of service to improve health around the world.” (Garde and Branswell, 8/24)
The Washington Post: Ex-CDC Director Tom Frieden Arrested In New York, Accused Of Groping
As New York’s health commissioner under then-Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (I), Frieden was the architect of controversial public health policies. Among them was a citywide ban on workplace smoking, including restaurants and bars. New York City also became the first place in the United States to eliminate trans fats from restaurants. Earlier, working in the health department’s tuberculosis branch, he realized that the city’s campaign against antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis would require going out and making sure that patients finished their course of medicine. He set up a program that did so, including locking up homeless people if he had to. The tuberculosis control program he led lowered the incidence of cases that were resident to multiple drug treatments. (Berman and Goldstein, 8/24)
Stat: Groping Arrest Imperils Thomas Frieden's Legacy And Global Health Campaign
Dr. Thomas Frieden has been a giant in public health for decades. Now, sexual misconduct charges threaten not only his legacy but also his vision for leading a global effort to combat disease outbreaks and chronic diseases. Frieden, who led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for eight years, had plotted a third act in his long career with an organization called Resolve To Save Lives. Like a CDC in miniature, Resolve was built in Frieden’s image and focused its attention on two of his banner global health issues: heart disease and epidemics. Frieden raised $225 million from wealthy donors to get Resolve off the ground in 2017, chasing the oft-stated goal of saving 100 million lives over 30 years by working with countries around the world on public health initiatives. (Garde, 8/26)
