The Economist had a recent cover entitled: “MAGA’s assault on science is an act of grievous self harm.” In addition, in yet another move intended to simply be cruel, Trump is ending National Institutes of Health support of HIV clinical guidelines. Let’s not forget that RFK Jr has long held the belief that the HIV virus is not the cause of AIDS. This belief among other leaders around the world led to the unnecessary deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, mostly in Africa. 

In response to the attack on science, many lawsuits have ensued together with many new organizations including Defend Public Health and now a new organization , Stand Up for Science, composed of NIH Staff. Consider contributing and engaging with this effort.  Action: Work through existing organizations (Defend Public Health, Stand up for Science; Ask Nurses and Doctors and others) to fight back. We can succeed! Recently Trump/NIH paused for now termination of grants; some grants in fact, because of successful court cases, will be reinstated.. 

The next few days may very well decide the fate of Medicaid and many aspects of our health care system. Our health system is already under tremendous stress – I see that every day with my patients (I am an internist). But House andSenate bills will significantly worsen the situation not just for Medicaid but also private health insurance, the Affordable Care Act and Medicare. So this is an all hands on deck situation. Hospitals and, yes, even Catholic Nuns have gotten involved. Thus far it would appear that Republicans Senators simply do not care about people dying. According to Punchbowl,Senator Mitch McConnell said about the One Big Horrible Bill: “Failure is not an option…I know a lot of us are hearing from people back home about Medicaid. But they will get over it.” According to the same Newsweek articlethe bottom line impact on this giveaway bill to the already rich is: “The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the House’s version of the bill would reduce Medicaid spending by $793 billion over 10 years, resulting in 10.3 million fewer people enrolled in Medicaid by 2034, including 1.3 million individuals with Medicare.” The impact on overall private health insurance together with economic losses/ closures of healthcare facilities is incalculable – the CBOhas already calculated that “states would be forced to reduce provider reimbursements to cope with the Medicaid cuts.” The Hill reports that 16 House “moderate” Republicans wrote that the (already draconian) House bill is the only bill they are willing to support. Action: contact your legislator today preferably via advocacy groups (Indivisible;  Protect our Care; Caring Across Generation, ourselves) who can testify to the health and economic losses of this Big Horrible Bill. 

Trump and RFK Jr.’s impact on our vaccine system is another train wreck that is happening in .real time.  On June 25 RFK Jr  handpicked advisors held the first meeting of the CDC vaccine panel (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices or ACIP) that decides on vaccine approval leading to insurance coverage; this  despite Senator Cassidy encouraging him to postpone the meeting. At the meeting as predicted anti-vaxxer’s held sway. The Federal government is poised to destroy our vaccine system as we know it. As Kaiser Health News reported, RFK Jr and Trump are cutting even legitimate efforts to understand vaccine side effects. Bottom line in response, scientific societies, state health officials, and others are fighting to preserve access to vaccines. Action: If you are a health professional please contact your state professional society and offer your services; lay people please contact your State Health Department to express your concern.

We at Ask Nurses and Doctors stand by ready to help with any questions or actions you wish to take. 

Norbert Goldfield, M.D.

Founder, Executive Director Healing Across the Divides

Author of Peace Building Through Women’s Health: Psychoanalytic, Sociopsychological, andCommunity Perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (Routledge, Taylor Francis; 2021); 

Founder, Executive Director Ask Nurses andDoctors

Author of Public Health, Public Trust and American Fragility in a Pandemic Era: The Critical Role of Health Care Professionals (Routledge, Taylor Francis; 2024).

Ask me about HEALING ACROSS THE DIVIDES https://healingdivides.org/