Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launches a bold overhaul of scientific publishing, declaring war on “corrupt” medical journals while removing COVID vaccines from CDC recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women.
Key Takeaways
- HHS Secretary Kennedy plans to ban government scientists from publishing in major medical journals like The Lancet and JAMA, citing Big Pharma corruption.
- The administration will establish NIH-centric journals for taxpayer-funded research as part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
- COVID-19 vaccines have been immediately removed from CDC recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women.
- The MAHA Commission Report is investigating connections between chronic diseases and factors such as ultra-processed foods and vaccine schedules.
- New health leadership team includes NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, supporting evidence-based vaccine policy changes.
Kennedy Takes Aim at “Corrupt” Medical Journals
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced a dramatic shift in how government-funded medical research will be published, targeting what he describes as pharmaceutical industry influence over prestigious medical journals. Kennedy’s plan would prohibit federal scientists from submitting their work to publications like The Lancet, The New England Journal of Medicine, and the Journal of the American Medical Association, which he claims are compromised by corporate interests. Instead, the Trump administration will establish government-operated journals through the National Institutes of Health to house taxpayer-funded research, potentially creating a new standard for scientific publishing.
“We’re probably going to stop publishing in the Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and those other journals, because they’re all corrupt,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Make America Healthy Again: Vaccine Policy Overhaul
In a significant policy shift announced alongside NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, Secretary Kennedy has immediately removed COVID-19 vaccines from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women. This represents the first major action stemming from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, which aims to restore public trust in health institutions following controversial pandemic policies. The decision reflects the administration’s commitment to evidence-based medicine and parental choice in healthcare decisions for children.
“I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that as of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“That ends today. It’s common sense. That’s good science,” said Jay Bhattacharya, NIH Director.
Scientific Community Divided Over Publishing Reforms
The proposed journal changes have sparked intense debate within the scientific community. Supporters of Kennedy’s plan argue that Big Pharma has compromised traditional peer review through advertising dollars and conflicts of interest, necessitating an alternative publication system. Critics contend that creating government-controlled journals could potentially isolate American research from the global scientific community and politicize science further. The administration has dismissed approximately 20,000 federal workers since President Trump’s inauguration, raising concerns about institutional knowledge loss in scientific agencies.
“Banning NIH-funded researchers from publishing in leading medical journals and requiring them to publish only in journals that carry the RFK Jr. seal of approval would delegitimize taxpayer-funded research,” said Adam Gaffney, public health researcher and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
MAHA Commission Investigates Chronic Disease Causes
The broader Make America Healthy Again initiative extends beyond publishing reforms and vaccine recommendations. The MAHA Commission Report is currently investigating connections between rising chronic disease rates in American children and potential contributing factors, including ultra-processed foods, environmental toxins, and vaccination schedules. This comprehensive approach aligns with the administration’s focus on preventative health measures and addressing root causes of illness rather than symptom management. Kennedy has positioned these reforms as necessary steps to counter what he views as pharmaceutical industry influence over healthcare policy.
“It is anointing you as a good, legitimate scientist,” said Kennedy, referring to how NIH-backed journals would establish credibility.
