On April 10, 2025, “The Nation” published an article discussing the extensive downsizing and reformation occurring within the administrative state, universities, and fields of expertise. The article likened these changes to the Cultural Revolution, highlighting the termination of grants at the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thousands of staff from the Department of Health and Human Services have been laid off, leading to a significant reduction in programs and budgets. This unprecedented restructuring has deeply impacted public health institutions and universities, threatening progress in infectious and chronic disease prevention.
Observers are contemplating the rationale behind these actions. While some attribute them to a “Make America Healthy Again” movement or government downsizing efforts, the article suggests a more radical motive reminiscent of historical purges, such as the Cultural Revolution and the Bolshevik Revolution. The aim appears to align with eliminating institutions and individuals to promote a specific ideology.
The article warns of the long-term repercussions of these policies, which undermine a generation of scientific expertise and dismantle infrastructures essential for public health and scientific advancement. Key figures in government, like Peter Marks, are resigning in protest, while others face forced relocations to remote areas.
Despite some judicial opposition to the administration’s measures, there is little evidence that these rulings are being heeded. Many academic institutions, such as Columbia University, are criticized for their passive response, which diminishes their credibility while granting no relief from federal pressure.
Furthermore, the article highlights a surge in pseudoscience, exacerbated by policies at the Health and Human Services Department. RFK Jr. is criticized for fostering a measles outbreak and advocating unsafe medical practices. Efforts to restrict Covid research and mRNA vaccine development are identified as part of a broader agenda, with new journals emerging to support these views outside traditional scientific scrutiny.
The piece concludes that the ongoing transformations pose a significant threat to American science, public health, and healthcare infrastructure, with potential impacts lasting generations. The motivation behind these changes seems driven by a desire to disrupt and inflict long-lasting repercussions, irrespective of future electoral outcomes.
