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Drug Users Utilize Fentanyl Test Strips to Prevent Overdose; FDA Advisers Green Light Authorization of Pill to Treat COVID; Putin and Ukraine, Will He Get Away with It Again?; WTA Suspends China Tournaments Over Missing Tennis Star. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired December 02, 2021 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[07:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And as the drug supply has become progressively more and more dangerous.
TANYA, HEROIN USER: I think I use it more now than I did two years ago. We're at a greater risk for having unknown substances put into the drugs.
LOUISE VINCENT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NORTH CAROLINA URBAN SURVIVORS UNION: With COVID came a treacherous, treacherous drug supply.
GUPTA: And with that, technology has had to keep up as well. It's why Louise and her team are now working with Nabarun Dasgupta from the University of North Carolina to utilize infrared spectroscopy. It's a tool from the world of forensics that can distinguish specific components in the drug.
VINCENT: It is rare to find a sample of a heroin that's just heroin. We may call it heroin. We may refer to it as heroin, but it usually isn't. Sometimes fentanyl analogs, Mannitol, like other cutting agents, and then sometimes very dangerous chemicals.
NABARUN DASGUPTA, EPIDEMIOLOGIST, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL: What we've seen more recently, especially during COVID, is big supply chain disruptions of the established cartels. And so you have a lot more experimentation, a lot of new chemical synthesis methods that are being used to manufacture the same end product that's all being called heroin or fentanyl. But what actually is in them has really changed.
GUPTA: These machines may represent the future. But for now they are costly. Just a handful of group like Louise's around the country even have access to them, which is why fentanyl test strips are so important right now.
VINCENT: That's your one line. You see where it's turning purple.
GUPTA (on-camera): So what does one line mean?
VINCENT: It's positive. And if it's another line is there it's a negative.
GUPTA: So this has fentanyl in it?
VINCENT: Absolutely. This is fentanyl.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: Those test strips you just saw there cost about a dollar apiece. You can buy them on Amazon. Here's the thing, there are some states that still consider those strips drug paraphernalia. So they're outlawed. Dollar apiece, buy them on Amazon, but in some places they're illegal. That is the sort of the gray world, John, of -- that we live in of harm reduction. Again some people thinking hey, this saves lives. Other people saying it nurtures drug use.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Look, it's a tough choice. It's a tough choice because harm reduction, you have to accept that people are using, right?
GUPTA: Yes.
BERMAN: And that's a tough decision for some people.
GUPTA: Yes. But saving lives seems like it would supersede.
BERMAN: Yes.
GUPTA: Yes. That's the point they make.
BERMAN: Really important to lay this out for us. Sanjay, great to see you.
GUPTA: You too. Thank you.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: President Biden is about to issue new guidance aimed at fighting the pandemic this winter, including updated travel protocols. We have brand-new details ahead.
BERMAN: And in a big development, those who do test positive may now have access to a pill to treat the virus. We will tell you how it works.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:37:07]
KEILAR: We may soon have a new weapon in the fight against COVID-19. An FDA advisory panel has voted to recommend Emergency Use Authorization for a new pill called Molnupiravir. Drug maker Merck says the pill can reduce the relative risk of hospitalization or death by about 30 percent.
Joining us now is Dr. Eliav Barr, he is senior vice president of Global, Medical and Scientific Affairs at Merck.
Sir, thank you so much for being with us here today. This is certainly a big deal. This, however, was narrowly recommended, 13-10. You had some advisers that had some reservations. So I know that there are going to be some people who have concerns about this drug. What do you say to that?
DR. ELIAV BARR, SVP OF GLOBAL, MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, MERCK: Well, I think it's really important to have as many tools in our toolkit to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. We see that this is a very unpredictable pandemic. And we're very confident that this will be a really important addition.
KEILAR: OK. So this is an addition to the tool chest, as you put it obviously. The efficacy here is 30 percent. So, look, that's -- I mean, that is definitely something, right? But I wonder if you are looking for ways to make it higher than 30 percent?
BARR: Well, there's a few things to consider. First of all, the first analysis showed efficacy around 50 percent. And this was the primary analysis, the analysis that we stood by for the study. Certainly another piece of information was that mortality remained -- benefit remained very high. So only the majority of people who died on the study were in the placebo group, the great majority.
So I think that it's important to remember that this is a very important medicine that will be very useful for people to prevent the signs and symptoms and terrible complications that can occur with COVID-19.
KEILAR: So if you're someone who ends up using Molnupiravir, it ends up that you have four capsules two times a day for five days, which is a heck of a lot of pills. Is there a better way to package that ahead?
BARR: Well, we'll be able to provide packaging that will remind people exactly how to use it. And you're right, there is a lot of pills there. But we think that the benefit certainly will be important for patients to have. It's a five-day therapy. So it's not too long. And we look forward to enhancing things in the future.
KEILAR: OK. And then on Omicron, which obviously a different variant, do you know how effective Molnupiravir is against Omicron?
BARR: Well, Omicron is different from the other viruses because of the spike protein. And that's not where this drug works at all. The drug works in a completely different part of the virus. And the genetic makeup of Omicron, that hasn't changed in that area. So we anticipate that the drug will be quite effective against Omicron. But ongoing work will tell us for sure.
[07:40:03]
KEILAR: Yes, no, that's really interesting. And then on transmission, does it help limit or stop transmission of the virus?
BARR: Well, we're going to be looking at that. We have a clinical trial going on right now. And people who have been exposed to someone with COVID but don't have COVID quite yet, and see whether taking Molnupiravir will reduce their risk of acquiring COVID. So that's something that's in the works and we hope that that will be an important additional benefit of the drug.
KEILAR: When will this be available if the FDA follows the recommendation of the panel?
BARR: Well, FDA and Merck, we're working closely to finish all of the technicalities and all the important things that need to be done before a drug is being used. So we hope it's going to be in a relatively short period of time. Ultimately, that's up to the FDA.
KEILAR: All right. Dr. Barr, thank you so much for being with us to talk about this new pill that we're awaiting potential approval on. Appreciate it.
BARR: My pleasure. Take care.
KEILAR: Moments ago, a high-stakes meeting between Secretary of State Tony Blinken and his Russian counterpart. What he said about Russia's renewed aggression towards Ukraine.
BERMAN: Plus, the Women's Tennis Association suspending all tournaments in China over concern for Peng Shuai. This is a stand that could cost them hundreds of millions of dollars. China just responded. We'll bring that to you, coming up.
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[07:45:44]
BERMAN: So developing overnight, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Stockholm after warning Russia of severe consequences if it invades Ukraine. At a press conference following the meeting, Blinken reiterated the U.S. commitment to protect Ukraine's independence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE: In recent weeks we have deep concerns about Russia's plans for renewed aggression against Ukraine. That would move us in exactly the opposite direction. And it's simply not in anyone's interest. We have a strong ironclad commitment to the sovereign and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The best way to avert a crisis is through diplomacy.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: So how did we get here with Russia threatening Ukraine again? And will somebody actually stand up to Putin this time?
John Avlon has a "Reality Check."
JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: John Lennon famously said life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. And while there's plenty to occupy your attention here in the U.S. from COVID and the economy to right-wing extremism and high-profile trials, overseas there are troubling signs that Russia is massing troops on the border of Ukraine. But Russia denies it has any nefarious plans but the Biden
administration is taking the threat severely with Secretary of State Tony Blinken warning Russia of severe consequences if it invades Ukraine again, while NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL: We call on Russia to not use military forces against Ukraine once again. If they decide despite that to once again use some military force, invade Ukraine, then there will be a high price to pay for Russia.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: You hear that? Once again that's the key phrase for context. Because back in 2014, Russia did invade and annex the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea after repeated strenuous denials that they were up to anything bad. It's a reminder of Ronald Reagan's dictum for dealing with the old Soviet Union, trust but verify. And that's because the record showed that the Russians reflexively, repeatedly lied all the time. And it's a tradition that the former KGB agent, Vladimir Putin, has maintained.
This is a rapidly evolving situation. Secretary Blinken meeting with Lavrov, and while Ukrainian Zelensky claims he's about to be ousted by a Russia-linked coup.
Now "Reality Check" doesn't try to predict the future. And I believe that those who try to gaze too deeply into crystal balls end up eating glass. But we do believe that the past can be prologue. And that's why it's important to take Russian denials with a pound of salt. Because back in 2014, we heard a similar litany of denials that some dupes believed before waking up to the reality that Russia had invaded a sovereign nation and gotten away with it.
It's the authoritarian disinformation playbook executed in real life rather than on social media. And here's how it happened. Back in February 2014, Ukraine's pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, a long-time client of soon-to-be Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, fled the country after widespread protests.
Now days later heavily armed commandos in unmarked green uniforms easily took over airports and government buildings in Crimea. These were derided as little green men. And Russia swore they had nothing to do with them. Here's the Russian ambassador to the E.U. at the time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR CHIZHOV, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE E.U.: There are no troops whatsoever, no Russian troops at least.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: When Putin was asked by a reporter whether the troops were Russian, given the similarities of the uniforms, he said there are many uniforms that are similar. You can go to a store and buy any kind of uniform. Those were local self-defense units. And he kept it up for weeks, stating Russia's armed forces never entered Crimea and assuring people that if he ever did give the order it would be in full compliance with international law as part of a humanitarian mission to protect Russian-speaking people who lived there.
Spoiler alert, he lied. Because once military control of the province was secured, and international response proved anemic, he pushed through dubious local referendum to officially annex the Black Sea outpost, admitting it all a year later.
[07:50:02]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I gave orders to the Defense Ministry. Why hide it? To deploy special forces of the GRU as well as marines and commandos there under the guise of reinforcing security for our military facilities in Crimea.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: It's important to remember all this because it provides the context for the current escalation. And provides evidence for why only a fool would take Russian assurances at their word.
There are larger conversations to be had about the politics of NATO expansion and Eurasian balance of power. But there's no excuse for being willfully blind about Putin's lies. Also, back in 2014, we didn't have prominent anchors on right-wing talk TV actively enabling Putin. Now we do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Why should the average American care about the territorial integrity of Ukraine? Why would we take Ukraine's side and not Russia's side? It's a sincere question.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: The answer, of course, is that democracy and liberty matter. Just like confronting a record of lies matters. And that's why this escalation, the week before an American hosted democracy summit, really should matter to you.
And that's your "Reality Check."
KEILAR: John Avlon, thank you for bringing that home. Really appreciate it.
Just ahead, we'll speak live with the sheriff investigating the deadly school shooting in Michigan. What investigators just found on the teen suspect's phone.
BERMAN: Plus, the first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant detected in the United States. What the White House is now doing to respond.
But first, three months after Hurricane Ida barreled through Louisiana, a rural community is pulling itself out of the destruction and despair with some help from Habitat for Humanity. It is today's "Impact Your World."
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BENNY ALEXIE, RESIDENT, JEAN LAFITTE, LOUISIANA: It took me four years to get where I was at. And to see that, it only took a matter of hours to lose it all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hurricane Ida was our Hurricane Katrina. It completely devastated our community. A big portion of Lafitte became homeless overnight. The decisions to build levees all around us, leaves all the water fill up here, people don't have insurance, the price of their insurance, don't qualify for FEMA. They need funds, people to come help build their homes and put their roofs back together.
MARGUERITE OESTREICHER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NEW ORLEANS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: We started distributing tarps to people to prevent further damage. But that's not where Habitat really shines. It's long-term recovery and helping people figure out a path to rebuilding.
The amount of work to be done is just overwhelming. So the piece where volunteers fit in is those are the extra hands, those are the people who can come in, they can muck and gut, they don't have to be skilled carpenters in order to be helpful.
DENNIS KEHOE, CORE VOLUNTEER, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: I've been a volunteer since 1991. It is not just building houses, but at ministry, they teach people about volunteering and community involvement.
ALEXIE: This didn't just happen to me. So it's heartbreaking to see a whole community go down like this. But like some of the signs says, we're going to rebuild and we'll be better.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:57:29]
BERMAN: China is firing back at a decision by the Women's Tennis Association to immediately suspend all tournaments in China. The move comes in defense of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai. Shuai alleged or Peng, I should say, alleged sexual assault by a top Chinese government official and then disappear for several weeks before appearing in a suspicious interview with the International Olympic Committee.
Moments ago, China responded to the WTA's decision saying it firmly opposes any act that politicizes sports.
I'm joined now by Patrick McEnroe, he's an ESPN tennis commentator, the former captain of the U.S. Davis Cup Team and the host of "The Holding Court" podcast.
Patrick, great to see you. This could cost the WTA hundreds of millions of dollars. I mean, seriously, hundreds of millions of dollars. So what do you make of this decision?
PATRICK MCENROE, ESPN TENNIS COMMENTATOR: Well, this was a gutsy decision, John. And this is absolutely going to cost the WTA a huge amount of money over the next 10 years. They were supposed to play the year-end championships and multiple other events in China over the course of the next decade. But they showed their gumption, they showed their morals, they showed that they were in this for the right reasons, like, we need to know.
OK, now we seem to know, John, that Peng Shuai is safe, she is alive. But do we know, is she sound? Is she sound of mind? And these videos supposedly from the IOC and the reaction from them to us that she is OK, don't worry about her, we can move on, we can brush this under the table, there are ex-athletes, Olympic athletes that understand pressure, and they spoke to Peng.
I mean, it is an absolute joke when I heard some of these interviews from people representing the IOC. There is no way that you can -- that anybody can believe that that's reality and multiple Chinese experts that I've spoken to said this is right out of the China playbook, and the IOC is totally complicit in their playbook.
BERMAN: Let me play some sound from Dick Pound, who's an International Olympic Committee member, who was talking about that video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK POUND, MEMBER, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Consensus of all of those people on the call was that she is fine, and she's not -- she's not under any kind of coercion or, you know, confinement.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So he's buying it, Patrick. What do you think the Olympics should do? What do you think other sports should do? Should they have the same courage or guts as you called it that the WTA had?
MCENROE: Well, I believe they should. And by the way, I don't believe, John, that that means that we should never do business with China.
