When Science Speaks, Who Listens? A Look Back at Restrictions on VA Researchers
It's a significant issue when doctors are unable to share what they're seeing. And it's even more significant when it affects those who have served our country. We recently learned about a concerning time for medical professionals at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during a past administration – specifically, under Donald Trump. It seems there was a period where VA doctors and scientists were told they couldn't publish their findings in medical journals or even speak to the public without getting the green light from political officials first. Photograph: Jon Bilous/Alamy This order, which came out in emails on a Friday from senior VA officials, happened just hours after a major medical journal, the New England Journal of Medicine , published an article. This particular article was written by two lung specialists who worked for the VA in Texas. One of the VA officials, Curt Cashour, who was then the assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs...
