petersuber4d ago

The flagship journal of the American Diabetes Association (#ADA) just published an editorial criticizing the #Trump admin for attempting to "Dismantle and Destroy Biomedical Research in the United States."
https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/49/6/901/164764/Misguided-Brushes-of-a-Pen-Continue-to-Dismantle

At an ADA conference yesterday, some members tried to pass out copies of the editorial just before #NIH Director #JayBhattacharya was scheduled to speak. They were blocked by security and escorted out of the building by police. The ADA had called in the police. Bhattacharya cancelled his talk.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/05/well/ada-conference-diabetes-trump.html

PS: What's going on at the ADA? The editorial had a disclaimer saying that it only represented the views of the authors, not the association. But the association had the courage to publish it. Then the association blocked its distribution, at its own conference, even calling in the police. Does it support free speech, even in support of science? Or not? And why can police stop peaceful scientists from handing out an editorial, even at an event sponsored by the group publishing the editorial?

#Censorship #DefendResearch #Medicine #TrumpVResearch #USPol #USPolitics

Show threadpetersuber1d ago

Update. After the American Diabetes Association (#ADA) physically evicted five members from an ADA event for peacefully handing out print copies of a pro-science, anti-Trump editorial published in the ADA's own flagship journal …
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/121657

* two senior leaders resigned in protest -- the new President-Elect and the chair of the Scientific Sessions Planning Committee;
* at least two others might have resigned, but these reports are still unconfirmed;
* dozens of members walked out of the presidential address, holding signs that said "We stand with science"; and
* colleagues launched a "shame on you" open letter against the ADA.
https://www.change.org/p/an-open-letter-to-the-american-diabetes-association-shame-on-you

(I just signed the open letter and hope you will too.)

#Censorship #DefendResearch #Medicine #TrumpVResearch #USPol #USPolitics

Leaders Resign From ADA After Experts Booted From Meeting

Resignations included the organization's president-elect and scientific sessions chair

MedpageToday
Show threadpetersuber23h ago

Update. Here's the #ADA side of the controversy. It was just following the law requiring nonprofit orgs to be nonpartisan.
https://diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/american-diabetes-associations-statement-regarding-nonpartisanship

PS: A few points in reply:
* Then why did the ADA flagship journal publish the pro-science, Trump-critical editorial in the first place? Is the ADA now saying that was a mistake? Will it try to retract that editorial?
* The members distributing copies of the editorial were not acting for the association. Or if that was not clear, what if they'd made clear (as the authors of the editorial made clear) that they were only speaking for themselves, not for the ADA?
* Could the ADA preserve its nonpartisanship by disavowing the peaceful leafleteers? Did it think federal law required it to call the police to remove them from the building?
* Would the ADA have called the police on peaceful pro-Trump or pro-Battacharya leafleteers?
* Would it have called the police on attendees who sat quietly in their seats wearing "We stand with science" buttons?

#Censorship #DefendResearch #FirstAmendment #Medicine #Trump #TrumpVResearch #USPol #USPolitics

The American Diabetes Association’s Statement Regarding Nonpartisanship | American Diabetes Association

As many of you are now aware, an incident took place at the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) Scientific Sessions. 

Show threadMela Eckenfels23h ago
@petersuber wtf. If a medical and scientific organisation can't be on the side of medicine or science, why even bother? They just should dissolve the org. Or rename it to "Bhattacharya buttkissing society. There will be canapes".
Show threadFeisty
@Mela Exactly. If they allow themselves to be subverted this way, then their purpose is transformed from a focus on science and research to a focus on whatever Dear Leader and his minions say they must focus on. They might think they will just carry on as usual, but they’re wrong. @petersuber
Jun 9 at 7:20pmWeb
Show threadMela Eckenfels21h ago
@feisty_lemming somehow I think a crash course on the history of science in Nazi Germany would do some people good. @petersuber