Recent reports indicate that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have directed researchers to avoid using specific “controversial” terms, including vaccines, fluoride, abortion, autism, gender identity, and race.
Under pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration, this censorship clearly attacks free speech and poses a substantial threat to scientific research’s integrity and the future of public health.
The censorship was primarily aimed at federal employees, research institutions, and university students globally, particularly those dependent on the U.S.’s far-reaching federal research grants. The policies introduce inherent biases by redirecting broad scientific focus to gaining political control over what facts are deemed acceptable.
These regulations most notably reflect Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s discredited views, such as those that claimed that mercury in vaccines causes autism-like symptoms, most of which are overwhelmingly rejected by the scientific community.
Despite Kennedy’s lack of credibility and knowledge, he was appointed as the secretary of health by Trump, allowing him to further enforce his own beliefs into national health policy and undo decades of public health progress while raising immediate questions about the integrity of scientific policymaking.
The consequences of politicizing science in this way threaten not just American health but also hinder the future of scientific advancement. By restricting discussion of vaccine safety, race and gender health disparities, cancer outcomes, and fluoride research, the administration suppresses meaningful discussion and democratic due process. It increases the likelihood of preventable health crises.
The U.S. now risks falling behind as an accelerating brain drain takes hold. According to a Nature poll, about 75% of the more than 1,600 scientists said they were considering leaving the United States, following recent actions by Trump’s officials targeting research funding and specific universities. Most researchers actively look abroad to countries like Canada, the U.K., and Germany, where scientific inquiry remains open and independent.
Along with a decrease in the workforce, many universities are concerned about a decline in international interest in U.S. schools, particularly among lower-income international students and students pursuing Ph.D. degrees at U.S. universities.
This is not merely a national emergency, however. It’s a global shift. The Trump administration puts the country’s future at risk by weakening America’s scientific leadership and restricting free research. Without the freedom to challenge procedures, scientific progress will inevitably stall, and public health will deteriorate, just as it had with the economy from the tariffs.
With all these drastic changes, today’s political divisions are forcing Americans to choose between clinging to their own stubborn convictions or recognizing the immediate risks of the Trump administration’s health regulations. If we don’t choose the latter, America will inevitably become void of the opportunity and freedom that once made it great, giving way to a loss of rights and a decline in its people’s health.
*This editorial reflects the views of the Editorial Board and was written by Jayden Breite. The Editorial Board voted 11 in agreement, 1 somewhat in agreement, and 1 in disagreement.
