One of the top medical journals in the world is now directly condemning President Donald Trump's administration over its continued attacks on the scientific community.
In a recent editorial, the Lancet — a highly regarded, peer-reviewed medical journal based in the United Kingdom — tore into the Trump administration over its threatening letters sent to editors of various journals and scientific publications. The Lancet specifically derided a letter that the CHEST medical journal (for medical professionals in the pulmonary field) got earlier this month from Ed Martin, who Trump appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia following his prior career as a Republican activist.
"This is an obvious ruse to strike fear into journals and impinge on their right to independent editorial oversight," the editorial read. "The Lancet stands with CHEST and the other medical journals that are being intimidated by the Trump administration."
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On Friday, the New York Times reported that the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) also received one of Martin's letters. NEJM editor in chief Eric Rubin described the letter as "vaguely threatening." First Amendment expert Amanda Shanor told the Times that the letter appears to violate basic Constitutional rights.
"There is no basis to say that anything other than the most stringent First Amendment protections apply to medical journals,” Shanor said. “It appears aimed at creating a type of fear and chill that will have effects on people’s expression — that’s a constitutional concern."
Martin's letters are asking journals about whether they allow submissions from those who subscribe to "competing viewpoints," and whether they are willing to admit being influenced by "supporters, funders, advertisers and others." But Rubin insisted that journals like his all follow strict procedures for all submissions. The Lancet's editorial encouraged the scientific community to not be afraid to resist politically motivated efforts to muzzle them.
"Science and medicine in the USA are being violently dismembered while the world watches," the editorial read. "While the risks to civil servants and academics’ livelihoods are real and understandably frightening, bullies are only emboldened by acquiescence or indifference."
Click here to read the Lancet's full editorial.