Nothing is more important than health. So when those in charge of national health care policy fail to do their job, it is a serious issue. President Trump and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have thus far failed to support America’s health. They’ve consistently attacked the scientific foundation of health care. In times like these, it falls on Brown and other universities to fill the gap left by the government and fight for science.
Trump’s administration has made a mockery of science. Most recently, the president claimed that Tylenol causes autism. In August, the administration also fired Susan Monarez, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after Monarez refused to greenlight new vaccine policies without sufficient scientific consensus.
It’s astonishing that the U.S. government would so boldly and publicly deny foundational scientific fact. This growing pattern of anti-scientific action underscores the cost of government inaction and the need for academic leadership. Universities hold a special responsibility in society as centers of knowledge, and now more than ever, they need to form a barrier against those who bend the truth for their own benefit.
Even if funding freezes reduce the amount of research being carried out, universities can still support science in other ways. They can uphold the philosophy of trusting science in their curricula and train future scientists to remain unfazed by the current anti-science atmosphere. They can keep the scientific tradition alive by teaching its virtues, even if they are not able to practice it. Finally, they can publicly support research. While Trump uses his platform to undermine science, Brown should use its name and reputation to fight back.
Universities can also help address issues the government left behind, like social inequalities in health. Although the administration banned diversity-related National Institutes of Health research grants, Brown community members can refuse to let underrepresented populations fall through the cracks. A number of Brown’s student-led organizations already do this. Brown University Students for Hospice provides companionship for often-neglected elders in hospice care. Brown’s Connect for Health chapter helps underserved communities in Providence get access to health care. This is momentum we can build upon — but there is so much more to do.
In a time of rampant health disinformation and pseudoscience, professors have a responsibility to correct the record. Brown professors — armed with the prestige of the University’s name — hold a unique ability to counterbalance Trump’s influence on public opinion through writing op-eds. Some faculty members already do this: Ashish Jha, dean of the School of Public Health, is a contributing opinion writer for the Boston Globe. In interviews with The Herald, he and two other public health researchers criticized the Trump administration’s claims about Tylenol causing autism. Perhaps other professors could follow suit.
Bad administrations come and go throughout history. When bad ones come, higher education has a responsibility to stay grounded in truth and hold onto the values that matter. That’s the virtue that makes Brown great, and that is how Brown will live up to its mission statement to “serve the community, the nation and the world.”
Daniel Cheong ’27 can be reached at daniel_cheong@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other columns to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
