The federal government is filled with scientists who contribute to decisions regarding food, medicines, environment, health care, and more. However, as President Trump's second term began, many scientists noticed a shift towards an antiscience approach.
The executive order promises to ensure that "federal decisions are informed by the most credible, reliable, and impartial scientific evidence available." In practice, however, it gives political appointees authority to define scientific integrity and decide which evidence counts and how it should be interpreted.
This order promises a commitment to federally funded research that is transparent, rigorous, and impactful, but risks undermining scientific independence by politicizing research evaluation.
Three-quarters of American researchers surveyed by Nature are considering jobs abroad due to significant changes in federal science policy under President Trump's administration.
Our findings suggest that children should stay up to date with current COVID-19 vaccination recommendations as vaccination not only protects against severe COVID-19 illness but also protects against long COVID.
