Donald Trump’s dismissal wave is ‘a disguised mass murder’
/s3/static.nrc.nl/images/gn4/stripped/data132215129-120f8f.jpg "Donald Trump’s dismissal wave is ‘a disguised mass murder’")
« We are extremely worried by the fireds of scientists at US environment and health services by the Trump government. » Was signed: « We, editors of scientific toxicological journals in Europe. » Strikingly missing: their American colleagues.
They are ten editors of toxicological magazines by scientific publisher Elsevier who alarm: Donald Trump’s policy to cut in health services leads to a « very worrying situation for public health and the environment ». According to them, the consequences are already radical, also worldwide. « The health and safety of our society are at stake. »
Since April, the Trump government has been firing employees of authorities that protect environmental and public health on a large scale. It is about the Institute for Health Control CDC, the NIH Health Institute, Environmental Protection Organization EPA and the FDA Food and Medicine Safety Agency. Certainly ten thousand employees lost their jobs – many of whom noticed that because their access pass no longer worked. The authorities also have to endure unprecedented cuts – for NIH as much as 40 percent of the total budget.
The consequences are immense, according to the European authors. Food safety in the US is at stake, just like the development of medicines. And without a well -functioning EPA, the « basic conditions for daily life » are in danger: clean water and clean air. Toxicologist and co-author of the commentary Martin van den Berg sees that the dismissals are ‘consciously’ done in organizations that try to prevent an impact on climate or the environment. The EPA is a ‘very logical target’ in that regard.
According to the authors, the consequences are great worldwide. Because the US steps out of the World Health Organization, 20 percent of the budget fall away. That « undoubtedly prevented millions of killing. » That number is « absolutely correct, » says Van den Berg. « The cutbacks are really massive, without an alternative being offered. » He calls the situation « a disguised mass murder » about a « period of five to ten years ».
At the very bottom is the meaningful disclaimer: the opinion contribution gives « only the view of the European editor -in -chief ».
« The American editor -in -chief must keep their mouth shut, » says Van den Berg. « If they indicate what we have indicated now, that automatically means dismissal. » And for the American environmental agencies it is now « the question to what extent they start to dance to Trump. » In that respect it is worrying that the new FDA boss Marty Makary recently incorrect statements perspective From public health minister Robert F. Kennedy Jr ..
Van den Berg was one of the drivers of the comments. The stories of American colleagues had made a big impression at an international congress. The shared statement must be a ‘support in the back’ from Europe for American colleagues.
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