RFK Jr.’s HHS Axes Science Journals, Citing “Junk Science”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is under fire after canceling subscriptions to Springer Nature publications, including the esteemed journal Nature. This move follows Kennedy’s earlier accusations that top medical journals are “corrupt” and purveyors of “pharmaceutical propaganda.”

According to a report by Nature‘s news team, agencies such as NASA and the USDA have already confirmed the loss of access to Springer Nature journals for their scientists. The USDA cited exorbitant costs and poor use of taxpayer funds as justification.

Initially, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) seemed unaffected. However, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon later announced that all contracts with Springer Nature were terminated, decrying the journals as “unused subscriptions to junk science.”

This decision aligns with Kennedy’s views, expressed in a May podcast, where he criticized publications like The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, and JAMA. He suggested the government might create its own “in-house” journals, preventing NIH scientists from publishing in these established platforms.

Kennedy, a known germ-theory denier, champions “terrain theory,” advocating for clean living over evidence-based medicine like vaccines. Critics argue that restricting access to scientific literature hinders federal scientists’ ability to stay informed and share impactful research.

One NIH employee told Nature news that the decision “suppresses our scientific freedom, to pursue information where it is present.” The implications of this policy for scientific advancement and public health remain a growing concern.

Source: Ars Technica