The DOJ is asking left-wing, pro-transgender scientific journals to explain what they do to promote open debate and avoid conflicts of interest when it comes to publishing academic papers.
(LifeSiteNews) -- Scientific journals have reported receiving letters of inquiry from the Department of Justice (DOJ) over their editorial practices, including conflicts of interest and how they handle articles submitted by government-funded entities, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
For example, the pro-abortion Obstetrics and Gynecology publication reported receiving a letter from Ed Martin, the acting U.S. attorney for D.C. It is the publication of the pro-abortion, pro-transgender American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
“Obstetrics and Gynecology has editorial independence from ACOG but shares our mission of improving outcomes for all people in need of obstetric and gynecologic care,” a media representative for American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) told NBC News. “We are proud of the Journal’s focus on scientific data and patient-centered and respectful, evidence-based care.”
STAT also reported that the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and several other outlets had reported receiving similar letters.
NEJM faced criticism for taking an ideological stance in support of transgender ideology, with one published paper arguing that sex should not be listed on birth certificates.
“Sex designations on birth certificates offer no clinical utility, and they can be harmful for [so-called] intersex and transgender people,” argued the paper co-authored by Vadim Shteyler, MD; Jessica Clarke, JD; and Eli Adashi, MD, of Brown University and Vanderbilt University Law School. “Moving such designations below the line of demarcation wouldn’t compromise the birth certificate’s public health function but could avoid harm.”
The journal reportedly already responded to Martin, claiming:
We use rigorous peer review and editorial processes to ensure the objectivity and reliability of the research we publish. We support the editorial independence of medical journals and their First Amendment rights to free expression. The Journal actively fosters scholarly scientific dialogue and remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting authors, readers, and patients.
CHEST, an academic journal for chest surgeons, also reported receiving a letter. “It has been brought to my attention that more and more journals and publications like CHEST Journal are conceding that they are partisans in various scientific debates," the letter stated, according to NBC News.
The sponsoring organization of CHEST has taken an institutional stance in favor of unscientific and permanently damaging so-called "gender-affirming care."
The American College of Chest Physicians stated in May 2023:
CHEST believes all patients deserve respect and dignity. We know that coming out to your health care provider can be intimidating, and we are committed to affirming your identity. Your provider may express interest and ask questions to ensure that you receive the most relevant and personal level of care. These conversations may initially feel awkward, but honest discussions are important to providing the best care for you.
However, it is a scientific fact that no person can change his or her sex.
Furthermore, evidence, including data and testimonies, continues to demonstrate how transgender procedures cause serious harm.
For example, LifeSiteNews recently covered the story of a gender-confused teenage girl who felt pressured into having a mastectomy after her eighth grade graduation, based on the false claim that the surgeries reduce the risk of suicide.
The surgery caused further emotional and physical problems, including “open sores” and “open wounds” on her chest, as well as “numbness and pain” and “liquid coming out” where the “nipple grafts” were. She said the surgeon’s office ignored her concerns for month and then even dismissed her problems during a three-month follow-up appointment.
The surgery did not help her at all, as Claire Abernathy said she simply went back to trying to identify with new "gender identities” before coming to realization she was, and always would be, a girl.
The drugs and surgeries have been linked to suicidality, bone density loss, heart diseases, stroke, cancer, and numerous other medical problems. Puberty blockers also cause infertility, as would be expected from drugs intended to stop the normal development of the reproductive system.
President Donald Trump and his administration have sought to restore common sense to science and higher education institutions by ridding them of "diversity, equity, and inclusion" initiatives and also embracing high-quality science, free from ideological bias. He specifically tasked Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with pursuing the "gold standard" of scientific research.
