research
France is courting U.S. scientists while facing homegrown pressures
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images
As the Trump administration axes funding for scientific research in the U.S., the situation has become a poaching opportunity for other countries, particularly in Europe. France has been among the most aggressive countries aiming to woo American researchers — last month, French President Emmanuel Macron said the government would set aside 100 million euros to attract international researchers.
Despite these ambitions, it’s unclear exactly how things will play out, both for Americans who choose to make the move and for European science writ large, STAT’s Andrew Joseph reports. Some European researchers have argued that institutions wooing American scientists should instead be focused on addressing neglected issues in local science, like lower salaries and historically less public funding than the U.S. Read more from Drew about how people across the pond feel about these recruitment initiatives.
first opinion
Former NEJM editors say RFK Jr. is wrong about medical journals
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called prestigious medical journals like the New England Journal of Medicine “corrupt,” and even warned that he might bar NIH scientists from publishing their research there. In a new First Opinion essay, three former NEJM editors bring a rebuttal to the accusation. And while they actually agree that the dependence of medical research on pharmaceutical funding is a problem, they have some criticisms of Kennedy’s proposed solutions.
“What perverts the research isn’t the journal where it’s published; it’s the funding and other financial associations between researchers and industry,” they write. “Redirecting researchers to new journals with dubious scientific standards will only make published research less reliable.” Read more.
