Deputy health commissioner resigns in aftermath of ‘Philly Fighting Covid’ tests and vaccination divorce

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The city severed ties with PFC on Tuesday amid reports that the nonprofit has shifted to a for-profit entity. There were also concerns about PFC’s collection and protection of patient data.

Dr. Caroline Johnson, the acting deputy health commissioner, is said to have provided two suppliers of Covid-19 vaccines, PFC and the Black Doctors Covid-19 Consortium, with information that “was not available to all potential applicants” for a proposal request James Garrow, communications director for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, told CNN in a statement Saturday.

“When she submitted this information, Dr. Johnson resigned,” Garrow said. “While these actions may have been intended to help promote the distribution of vaccines throughout the city, the Health Commissioner has accepted her resignation in the interest of the city.”

Johnson’s behavior will also be reviewed by the town’s inspector general, Garrow said.

CNN is contacting Johnson and the organizations for comment.

PFC, led by 22-year-old CEO Andrei Doroshin, has been under scrutiny in recent weeks. The group, which initially presented itself as a nonprofit, was awarded a contract from Philadelphia in August to provide Covid-19 testing services, Garrow said.

The health department says it has learned that PFC canceled its testing events in mid-January, despite having a contract to provide services until January 31.

WHYY, a public news outlet, reported on Jan. 20 that the PFC’s sudden shift to a profitable company to “focus on vaccine operations,” left some communities and residents of Philadelphia tested without warning.
WHY later reported on PFC’s updated privacy policy, Garrow said to the outlet “could allow the organization to sell data collected through PFC’s pre-registration site,” although the city has no evidence that there is any data sold.
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Doroshin has denied that PFC ever sold data, saying the group was open to the city about the need to switch to a for-profit company to keep up with the expansion of resources and staff.

Philadelphia announced on Tuesday that it would no longer provide PFC with vaccines. Doroshin blamed the fallout on the city’s feet on Friday.

“The city needs a scapegoat for why they screwed up vaccination efforts,” Doroshin told CNN daughter KYW. “They probably think they are ashamed that a 22-year-old did better than her.”

In a statement on PFC’s website, before Johnson stepped down, Doroshin also called for the replacement of the Philadelphia Health Commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley.

“This is what we as a city should be doing to defeat this terrible disease. First, put Dr. Johnson in charge of this effort,” Doroshin said.

She’s smart, more than capable, passionate and fearless. She and her team have been great and we got this off the ground together. Has it been perfect? ​​Hell no, but we don’t have time for that. We’re at war and have to learn immediately. But our results speak for themselves: we vaccinated 6,800 people in 5 days. “

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has instructed the health department to take several corrective actions and prepare a report on the failed partnership with PFC, detailing how it came to work with the group and identified weaknesses in the vetting process .

CNN’s Elizabeth Joseph, Dakin Andone, Laura Ly, Tanika Gray, Patrick Cornell and Samuel Romano contributed to this report.

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