The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of convalescent plasma to help treat patients with Covid-19 saying the “known and potential benefits of the product outweigh the known and potential risks of the product.” President Trump claimed “political reasons” held up this treatment after he accused members of the FDA of being part of the “deep state.” William Haseltine, Chair and President of ACCESS Health International, tells Anderson Cooper “the data does not support the approval of this drug” and it’s “a very modest improvement for people who take it very early, if it’s an improvement at all.” Plus, the Republican National Convention is set begin and details are beginning to emerge about the schedule and speakers for the 4-day event. President Trump is expected to make an appearance every night of the RNC. One of his appearances will be with a group of doctors, nurses and EMTs who have been on the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis. Former Republican Senator Rick Santorum joins AC360 and says he thinks there will be a lot of comparisons about Joe Biden and President Barack Obama’s handling of the H1N1 virus and admits he thinks the President “rhetorically has handled the Covid-19 crisis horribly.”

Airdate: August 23, 2020

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