RFK Jr. Moves to Bar NIH From Top Journals

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced plans to bar government scientists from publishing in leading medical journals, specifically naming The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, and JAMA, which he claims are corrupt and influenced by the pharmaceutical industry. Kennedy proposes replacing them with in-house government journals for NIH-funded research, arguing these would become preeminent due to NIH funding. He has labeled major health agencies as puppets of pharmaceutical interests and has aligned with broader administration efforts to question mainstream medical consensus, especially regarding vaccines. These proposals coincide with recent NIH funding cuts and a controversial administration report challenging established vaccine science. Critics, including public health experts and medical professionals, warn the move could undermine the credibility and international reach of U.S. scientific research. Medical journal representatives have defended their peer-review processes and their essential role in advancing global health.