Remembering the central importance of clear thinking in challenging times.
The last month has been a time of fear for many working in health. Fear of funding cuts and challenges to public health institutions. Fear of what will come next in an uncertain political moment. Fear of the changes being enforced, of radical disruption of what we do and how we do it. Such fear is understandable. A new administration has pursued cuts to federal funding for science and health, prohibited external communication by federal health agencies, and taken actions that have led to the dismissal or resignation of thousands of federal workers, including many working in science and health. The administration has also made clear that certain forms of research are not welcome at the present time. This has led to some researchers removing their names from publications or pausing their work for fear of retaliation.
These fears are likely, sadly, not unfounded. I have written about the need to give the new administration a chance to pursue the policies it ran on, respecting the fact that the American people voted for much of this, just as they voted for a different administration four years ago, and their preferences merit due consideration, particularly by those of us working in public health, for whom the attitudes of the public should never be disregarded. However, the manner in which the new administration has chosen to pursue what it perceives as its mandate has created unnecessary disruption, uncertainty, and fear, and we should acknowledge this. Fairmindedness, the willingness to give a new administration a chance, does not mean giving a pass to cruelty or staying silent when we see policies enacted that undermine the science and institutions that support a healthier world.
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