Photo credit: www.yahoo.com
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reportedly attempting to withdraw all research papers involving its scientists that are currently under consideration by external scientific journals. This action has been linked to a review process initiated by the Trump administration, according to a federal official who shared insights on the matter.
This comprehensive directive was communicated in an email from the CDC’s chief science officer to various heads of divisions within the agency. The official who disclosed this information was not permitted to discuss the situation publicly.
The primary objective of this review is to align with President Donald Trump’s executive order, which stipulates that the federal government will officially recognize only two sexes: male and female. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not respond when asked for commentary on the matter.
This recent withdrawal request is an extension of a previous directive issued on January 21, which mandated federal health agencies to pause their public communication efforts for a thorough review by appointees of the Trump administration.
Reports from Inside Medicine indicate that there is a list of terminologies that are targeted for removal from communications, including terms such as gender, transgender, LGBT, and nonbinary. According to the federal official, this guidance was disseminated from the CDC to its divisions.
The withdrawal order encompasses all manuscripts in which CDC scientists have played a role, whether as authors or co-authors. Furthermore, if CDC scientists are involved in papers originating outside the agency, they are instructed to withdraw their names from those publications.
Healthcare professionals have expressed that omitting such terminology could undermine efforts to address various health needs affecting diverse populations, including those with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Carl Schmid, an advocate and executive director of the HIV+ Hepatitis Policy Institute, emphasized the importance of recognizing all populations when it comes to the prevention, treatment, and research of infectious diseases, remarking, “I certainly hope this is not the intent of these orders.”
Concerns regarding the legality of this move have also been raised by editors of scientific journals, including the American Journal of Public Health. Dr. Alfredo Morabia, Editor in Chief of AJPH, highlighted that for accepted papers awaiting publication, the authors no longer have the right to make amendments due to copyright constraints. He suggested that there should be a collective approach by journal editors and publishers regarding manuscripts that are still under review.
Dr. Morabia expressed disbelief that such actions could coexist with First Amendment rights, stating, “How can the government dictate the language that a journal can use to depict scientific truths?”
Dr. Carlos Del Rio, chief section editor for HIV/AIDS for NEJM Journal Watch Infectious Diseases, described the situation as “a travesty,” noting the critical contributions that CDC scientists make each year to public health research and stating that halting publications is detrimental.
Additionally, on the same day, the CDC and other U.S. health agencies removed several web pages, including those detailing HIV statistics and a database monitoring behaviors that elevate health risks among the youth. This action has sparked concerns about censorship among physicians and patient advocates in light of compliance with the Trump administration’s directives on gender identity and diversity.
Source
www.yahoo.com