Stopping the interview on national television—was it a good decision?
Daniel Dunne
FDA press representatives pull the plug on ABC News
“There are times when it’s best to terminate an interview before things get out of hand.”
--Government Press Representative
How would you react if a reporter fails to abide by a set of pre-determined interview guidelines (i.e., asking questions about “off-limit” issues) during an on-camera interview with an official from your agency?
Not long ago, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) press representative was faced with this dilemma and declared an in-progress, on-camera interview with an FDA doctor “over.”
Specifically, ABC’s interest in speaking with the FDA centered on the federal government’s approval of a study that allowed trauma center staff in two dozen cities to provide serious accident victims with experimental blood substitute PolyHeme. At the time that ABC’s interview was arranged, PolyHeme was in the final stages of randomized phase III clinical trials.
FDA officials advised ABC that they would be unable to discuss specifics issues (i.e., safety of PolyHeme) related to the clinical trials, but could address FDA-approved guidelines developed by the doctor being interviewed. Despite this mutual agreement, the FDA's doctor was ambushed with a host of questions related to the clinical trials, including PolyHeme, when the cameras were on.
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