RFK Jr. threatens to stop NIH scientists from publishing in ‘corrupt' medical journals
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. threatened to bar National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists from publishing in three top medical journals Tuesday, alleging that the publications are 'all corrupt.'
RFK Jr. argued the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and The Lancet all have ties to the pharmaceutical industry that influence research findings and prevent the publication of 'anything where the results may diminish corporate profits,' during an appearance on the 'Ultimate Human' podcast.
'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,' the HHS chief told podcast host Gary Brecka.
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Kennedy Jr. is a long-time critic of the pharmaceutical industry.
YouTube/Ultimate Human Podcast with Gary Brecka
Kennedy Jr. went on to claim that 'even the heads of those journals' believe their publications are 'no longer science journals' but instead 'vessel[s] for pharmaceutical propaganda.'
The HHS secretary appeared to be referring to a 2015 commentary piece published by The Lancet's Editor-in-Chief Richard Horton, in which he argued that the 'much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue' partly because of 'flagrant conflicts of interest' and research findings that cannot be replicated; and a 2009 New York Review article by former NEJM editor-in-chief Marcia Angell, where she wrote that it 'is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published' due to involvement by the pharmaceutical industry.
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'Unless these journals change dramatically, we are going to stop NIH scientists from publishing there and we are going to create our own journals, in-house, in each of the institutes … and they are going to become the preeminent journals,' RFK Jr. said. 'Because if you get NIH funding, it is anointing you as a good, legitimate scientist.'
The New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association and The Lancet did not respond to The Post's requests for comment.
The HHS secretary said he plans on having NIH scientists publish in a new 'in-house' journal.
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Last week, the White House released its Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report, spearheaded by RFK Jr., which accused the pharmaceutical industry of 'distorting scientific literature' via 'corporate capture.'
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'Drug companies,' the report claims, 'exercise corporate control over the research agenda, corporate control of the research findings seen by patients and doctors, and corporate influence over the review of those findings.'
'Despite the broad inability of scientists or journalists to obtain access to original research data from pharmaceutical companies, there is an overwhelming body of scientific evidence supporting the conclusion that pharmaceutical industry dominance of research leads to distorted and misleading information routinely published in top journals, while journals and their content are routinely manipulated and controlled by industry money,' it states.
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You can take the CDC quiz to get a list of vaccines you need based on your lifestyle, travel habits and other factors. What vaccines are recommended for seniors? Chickenpox vaccine – recommended for all adults born in 1980 or later Hepatitis B vaccine – recommended for all adults up through 59 years of age, and for some adults 60 years of age and older with known risk factors HPV vaccine – recommended for all adults up through 26 years of age, and for some adults aged 27 through 45 years MMR vaccine – recommended for all adults born in 1957 or later Shingles vaccine – recommended for all adults 50 years of age and older What vaccines are recommended for people with health conditions? Asplenia (without a functioning spleen) : Hib vaccine (Haemophilus influenzae type b), Meningococcal vaccines – both MenACWY and MenB, Pneumococcal vaccine : Hib vaccine (Haemophilus influenzae type b), Meningococcal vaccines – both MenACWY and MenB, Pneumococcal vaccine Diabetes, type 1 and type 2: Pneumococcal vaccine Pneumococcal vaccine Heart disease, stroke or other cardiovascular diseases: Pneumococcal vaccine Pneumococcal vaccine HIV infection: Hepatitis A vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine, Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY). Pneumococcal vaccine, Shingles vaccine. If your CD4 count is 200 or greater, you may also need Chickenpox vaccine and MMR vaccine Hepatitis A vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine, Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY). Pneumococcal vaccine, Shingles vaccine. If your CD4 count is 200 or greater, you may also need Chickenpox vaccine and MMR vaccine Liver disease: Hepatitis A vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccine Hepatitis A vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccine Lung disease (Including Asthma or COPD): Pneumococcal vaccine Pneumococcal vaccine End-stage renal (kidney) disease: Hepatitis B vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccine Hepatitis B vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccine Weakened immune system (excluding HIV infection): Hib vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccines, Meningococcal vaccines (MenACWY and MenB), Shingles vaccine What vaccines are recommended for children? 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Chickenpox vaccine (1st of 2), DTaP vaccine (4th of 5), flu vaccine (every flu season), Hepatitis A vaccine (1st of 2), Hepatitis B vaccine (3rd of 3 between 6 months and 18 months), Hib vaccine (4th of 4), IPV (3rd of 4 between 6 months and 18 months), MMR vaccine (1st of 2), PCV (4th of 4). 2-3 years: Flu vaccine every flu season. Flu vaccine every flu season. 4-6 years: Chickenpox vaccine (2nd of 2), DTaP vaccine (5th of 5), Flu vaccine every flu season, IPV (4th of 4), MMR vaccine (2nd of 2). Chickenpox vaccine (2nd of 2), DTaP vaccine (5th of 5), Flu vaccine every flu season, IPV (4th of 4), MMR vaccine (2nd of 2). 7-10 years: Flu vaccine every flu season, good time to catch up on any missing vaccines. Flu vaccine every flu season, good time to catch up on any missing vaccines. 11-12 years: Flu vaccine every flu season, HPV vaccine (2 doses), MenACWY vaccine (1st dose of 2), Tdap vaccine. Flu vaccine every flu season, HPV vaccine (2 doses), MenACWY vaccine (1st dose of 2), Tdap vaccine. 13-18 years: Flu vaccine every flu season, MenACWY vaccine (2nd dose of 2), MenB vaccine (2 doses), MenABCWY vaccine. Baby vaccines: Babies get a lot of vaccines before they turn 2. Is it safe to spread them out instead? What vaccines does Florida require to attend school? The state of Florida requires certain vaccines to be administered before children may enroll and attend childcare and school. 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As of 2010, children entering, attending or transferring to the seventh grade in Florida schools must also complete one Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap). Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge and Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY
