Office of Special Counsel Recommends Reinstating Bright During Investigation

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has recommended that Rick Bright be temporarily reinstated to his position as director of HHS’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.

Bright’s attorneys Deborah Katz and Lisa Banks said that the office found reason to believe that HHS retaliated against him. It recommended that HHS reinstate him for 45 days while it investigates the whistleblower complaint he filed last week (DID, May 6).

While the recommendation is nonbinding, Katz and Banks said it is common for agencies to comply with the request when evidence exists that retaliation occurred.

Bright was reassigned last month to helm an initiative on COVID-19 diagnostics at the National Institutes of Health, a lower-profile position than the one he held at BARDA (DID, April 22).

OSC said it “cannot comment on or confirm the status of open investigations.”

Meanwhile, Bright has been invited to testify Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health. He is expected to appear. — Jordan Williams