The CDC decided a couple of months ago to tell doctors not to test for so-called swine flu anymore--just assume that anyone with "flu-like symptoms" has it. The count for H1N1 cases in the US, then, is untrustworthy (and apparently unfindable). There's more! CBS News investigative reporter Sharyl Atkisson asked the CDC to show her the documents detailing their decision to stop testing, and (shocker!) the government has been stalling her for two months. No reason to tell the truth about a naked power grab, I guess...

 

 

CBS News Sharyl Attkisson
Freedom of Information Stalled at CDC and DC Government
(CBS)

In August 2009, CBS News made a simple request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for public documents, e-mails and other materials CDC used to communicate to states the decision to stop testing individual cases of Novel H1N1, or “swine flu.” When the public affairs folks at CDC refused to produce the documents and quit responding to my queries altogether, I filed a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request for the materials. Members of the news media are entitled to expedited access, which I requested, since this was for a pending news report and on an issue of public health and interest.

Two months after my FOI request, the CDC has yet to produce any of these easily retrievable materials. Sadly, this is of little surprise. This has become standard operating procedure in Washington… read the full story HERE.