'Vaguely Threatening': Federal Prosecutor Queries Leading Medical Journal

NYTimes ^ | 4/25/2025 | New York Times

[ransomnote]

A federal prosecutor in Washington has contacted The New England Journal of Medicine, considered the world’s most prestigious medical journal, with questions that suggested without evidence that it was biased against certain views and influenced by external pressures. Dr. Eric Rubin, the editor in chief of N.E.J.M., described the letter as “vaguely threatening” in an interview with The New York Times. At least three other journals have received similar letters from Edward Martin Jr., a Republican activist serving as interim U.S. attorney in Washington. Mr. Martin has been criticized for using his office to target opponents of the administration.

His letters accused the publications of being “partisans in various scientific debates” and asked a series of accusatory questions about bias and the selection of research articles. Do they accept submissions from scientists with “competing viewpoints”? What do they do if the authors whose work they published “may have misled their readers”? Are they transparent about influence from “supporters, funders, advertisers and others”? News of the letter to N.E.J.M. was reported earlier by STAT, a health news outlet.

Mr. Martin also asked about the role of the National Institutes of Health, which funds some of the research the journals publish, and the agency’s role “in the development of submitted articles.” Amanda Shanor, a First Amendment expert at the University of Pennsylvania, said the information published in reputable medical journals like N.E.J.M. is broadly protected by the Constitution.

In most cases, journals have the same robust rights that apply to newspapers — the strongest the Constitution provides, she added. “There is no basis to say that anything other than the most stringent First Amendment protections apply to medical journals,” she said. “It appears aimed at creating a type of fear and chill that will have effects on people’s expression — that’s a constitutional concern.”

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TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: edmartin; ericrubin

[ransomnote]

HHS leader Robert Kennedy Jr. did say that he would investigate bias in scientific journals which prevented real science (e.g., Covid?) from being published. It looks like it's happening. Note that even asking about fairness and bias has frightened the delicate left.

[Bookshelf]

The fact that Dr. Eric Rubin, the editor in chief of N.E.J.M., ran to the NYTimes is a sure indication that
he stands left of center. Any any leftist today is totalitarian in outlook.

[sopo]

With the endorsement of Biden, cited by Joe himself from the debate stage, they threw themselves squarely into the political arena. I believe the crux of it was, no President who has allowed 220,000 Covid deaths is fit to serve.

[mellow velo]

... with questions that suggested without evidence that it was biased against certain views ...

Without evidence.  The NY Times often always uses these 2 words when the topic is detrimental to the Left.

[fella]

Any contact from the FBI more than vaguely threatening.

[TalBlack]

These people are confused. They’re making a blind, broad first amendment argument as a SCIENTIFIC journal, in response to the question ‘ have competing arguments been presented”?

[PAR35]

An honest First Amendment based response would be, “No, we aren’t fair and unbiased, and we don’t have to be.”

[AppyPappy]

The NEJM came out against masks in grocery stores early in Covid.

[bobbo666]

If you violated a law to express your bias you MUST go to jail. It was not the Journal that did this. It was individuals employed there. Go after them by name. That is the only way to send the message that if you lie you get justice.

[Jim Noble]

The NEJM, which I read weekly, has an over-the-top not just leftist but severely TDS-afflicted editorial board and opinion section.

It’s silly to deny it.