Medical Journals Cite “Harassment” After Increased Scrutiny from Justice Department

At least three major medical journals have reported receiving a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that questioned their editorial practices and standards. Now, scientific journals are pushing back to assert their independence. 

MedPage Today was the first to report these letters from the DOJ after the New England of Journal of Medicine (NEJM) last week. The letter implied the journal was partisan, without taking the appropriate steps to include competing viewpoints and protect against misinformation. 

“We use rigorous peer review and editorial processes to ensure the objectivity and reliability of the research we publish,” NEJM Editor-in-Chief Eric Rubin, MD, PhD, wrote in response to the letter. “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 journal and Obstetrics & Gynecology also received letters with similar allegations. Both of their publishers, the American College of Chest Physicians and the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology respectively, also published statements supporting the journals’ integrity and editorial independence. 

Meanwhile, The Lancet—who stated they have not received a letter—took a more strident approach.  The journal published an editorial claiming the activity by the DOJ is “harassment” and “intimidation” of reputable scientific journals. These actions come amid the Trump administration cutting federal funding for several science, health, and research agencies, causing some to fear these letters are part of a “wider radical dismantling of the USA’s scientific infrastructure.”

“This is an obvious ruse to strike fear into journals and impinge on their right to independent editorial oversight. The Lancet stands with CHEST and the other medical journals that are being intimidated by the Trump administration,” the editorial said. “Medical journals should not expect to be spared by the Trump administration’s attack on science, nor should health institutions such as the NIH, the CDC, or academic medical centers.” 

NBC reports that the Justice Department did not respond to their requests for a comment at this time.