France-Soir
The United States in the Trump era, towards a turning point in public health? Debriefing with epidemiologist Nicolas Hulscher
Since the return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States, accompanied by emblematic figures such as Robert Kennedy and Jay Bhattacharya, the American public health landscape seems to be changing. The interview with Nicholas Hulscher, epidemiologist and director of the McCullough Foundation, gives an overview of the major changes made in just one hundred days.
A wind of change
"Since Robert Kennedy was appointed Secretary of Health and Jay Bhattacharya became director of the NIH, we've seen more improvements than we have in 30 years", Hulscher says. Among the flagship measures, the requirement for vaccine manufacturers to conduct placebo-controlled trials is highlighted as a "huge change". This marks a break with previous practices where vaccines were often released to the market without rigorous testing.
In addition, the Trump administration has taken steps to remove synthetic food dyes, labeled "toxic", from the U.S. market. According to Hulscher, these substances, which are dangerous to human health, are finally being eliminated from the American diet.
Fight against scientific corruption
The Department of Justice's intervention to investigate bias in scientific publications is another significant development. Hulscher describes how "letters were sent to major journal editors to examine whether they were biased during the pandemic". This initiative aims to restore trust, not only among the public, but also within the scientific community.
Hulscher recounts his personal experience with censorship, including with a study on COVID-19 post-vaccination autopsies that was repeatedly retracted before finally being published. "This constitutes what we call violations of the RICO Act", he says, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
app.videas.fr(Interview in English, subtitled in French)
Resistance and hope
Despite the progress, Hulscher acknowledges that obstacles remain, including lobbying by big pharma and the slow pace of reforms. "We need to move faster. We need to improve things faster", he insists, pointing to the dangers of public health being compromised by corporate interests.
He is also concerned about gain-of-function research in biosafety labs, which could potentially cause a new pandemic. "We need to destroy these modified pathogens from these labs" he strongly recommends.
A path strewn with pitfalls
There is still a long way to go to a public health system that is transparent and focused on the well-being of citizens. Hulscher expressed the hope that under the new administration science would return to its original vocation: "Science will henceforth act, at least I hope so, in the interest of the citizens".
The interview, although full of optimism, reminds us that profound changes require time and constant vigilance. For Hulscher, it is crucial that the reforms undertaken do not run out of steam and continue to address the roots of the problem.
In conclusion, the Trump administration, with its new appointments, seems poised to shake up the established public health order in the United States. However, as Hulscher points out, only a determined and concerted approach can guarantee real change, beyond the initial promises and intentions.