Americans increasingly trust career scientists, not leaders, at CDC, NIH, and FDA

Most Americans don't trust Bobby Jr. or Dr. Oz

Stephanie Soucheray, MA

A new Annenberg poll conducted in the first half of February shows Americans are placing their trust in career scientists and professional medical organizations over the heads of federal health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Two-thirds of respondents (67%) said they were confident in career scientists at the CDC, NIH, and FDA. But just 43% of Americans are confident in the agency leaders. 

The poll shows a significant lack of confidence in Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Less than four in 10 adults polled (38%) said they are confident Kennedy is providing trustworthy information on public health.  Only 42% said they trust information from Mehmet Oz, MD, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Those percentages are lower than the 54% who said they had confidence in Anthony Fauci, MD, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, when he was in office.

RNA vaccine funding cuts threaten decades of scientific progress

For no good reason, Trump and Bobby Jr. are killing one of the most promising lines of medical research

Laine Bergeson

Federal investment in RNA vaccine research has supported nearly three decades of scientific work spanning infectious diseases, cancer, and vaccine development, but recent and proposed funding cuts threaten to stall that progress, according to a cross-sectional study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open. 

Led by a team at Northwestern University, researchers identified 178 active National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants related to RNA vaccines from 1997 through 2025. Together, the grants represented $1.65 billion in funding.

Many grants focused on viral vaccines (42%), including those for COVID, HIV, and highly contagious tropical diseases, while substantial investment also supported RNA technology and cancer research. Overall, the grants produced 2,342 publications and nearly 150,000 citations, highlighting what the authors describe as clear clinical impact. 

RNA tech ‘could impact virtually every aspect of human health’

“The grants we analyzed have resulted in strong scientific output,” the researchers write. “The clinical impact of this work was apparent, with 10% of publications classified as [sic] and 35% being cited in clinical trials or practice guidelines.” 

What’s more, 18 grants were awarded through the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer program, underscoring how RNA funding supports biotech entrepreneurship.

“Our study showed that RNA technology could impact virtually every aspect of human health, from debilitating chronic diseases to conditions even thought incurable,” lead author Anirudha S. Chandrabhatla, MD, said in a UVA Health press release.

In an accompanying commentary, Alyson Ann Kelvin, PhD, a veterinary medicine faculty member at the University of Calgary, and Angela Rasmussen, PhD, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan, place the findings in the context of mounting political and public scrutiny of RNA technology. 

They note that, as antivaccine sentiment continues to rise, approximately $500 million in RNA vaccine funding has been targeted for cuts in 2025.

World War III posters

Super deep discounts

More than a thousand sightings reported to new URI bobcat watch project

High interest in URI’s statewide bobcat project

Kristen Curry

Photo / Peter Green

Once eradicated from Rhode Island, bobcats have returned over the past few decades and are now being spotted more frequently across the state. That fact has been verified in just a matter of months through the Rhode Island Bobcat Project, led by University of Rhode Island researchers and local partners, including Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management and the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island.

URI’s researchers just passed the 1,000-sighting mark this winter, a good sign for the cat species and public interest in the animal. These reports will help URI Assistant Professor of Quantitative Ecology Kathleen Carroll and Ph.D. student Christopher Hickling better understand the animal’s movements, habitat use, and population dynamics.

Each cat receives a formal scientific designation, as well as a memorable ‘bird’ name, like Cooper here, the fourth bobcat in the state to be tracked with a GPS collar as part of the Rhode Island Bobcat Project. (URI Photo / Quest Lab)

Carroll and Hickling say that bobcats’ increasing presence in Rhode Island is positive, while the cat makes for an intriguing and accessible subject and has piqued public interest.

The information that URI’s team has gathered from public reports, alongside camera traps and GPS radiocollars, will help them identify where bobcats rest, hunt, and travel. Such valuable data is critical in developing recommendations for land management practices that balance human use with wildlife conservation.

“Bobcats in Rhode Island appear very tolerant of people compared to bobcats in other states,” Carroll said. “This makes sense since Rhode Island is so densely populated. In other states, cats can be more wary; here, they are walking across driveways at night.”

“We are happy people are excited about seeing bobcats and interested in their importance for biodiversity,” Carroll added. “The reports we’ve received will enable us to better support their populations here in the future.”

Carroll and Hickling in URI’s Natural Resources Science department share some updates on what they have observed since their bobcat survey launched in September:

Chariho Schools Superintendent Gina Picard pays tribute on the death of Charlestown's school committee rep Donna Chambers

Dear Chariho Colleagues,

It is with deep sadness that I share the news that Chariho School Committee member Donna Chambers has passed away.

Donna served the Chariho community with remarkable dedication for more than a decade, representing the Town of Charlestown on the School Committee since 2013. Her service reflected a lifelong commitment to education, learning, and public service.

Before returning to Rhode Island, Donna built a distinguished career in education, including teaching, adult education, and educational consulting. She brought that depth of experience to her work on the Chariho School Committee, where she was known for thoughtful preparation, strong advocacy for students, and a deep belief in the power of education to change lives.

When I think of Donna, one phrase always comes to mind: courage of convictions.

Donna approached every decision with careful thought and a deep sense of responsibility. She believed that public service required both integrity and the willingness to speak honestly about what she believed was right for students. Even when perspectives differed, her focus never wavered. Students were always at the center of her thinking.

Public education relies on individuals who are willing to give their time, energy, and voice to strengthening schools for the next generation. Donna embodied that spirit of service. Her contributions helped shape the work of the Chariho Regional School District and will continue to influence our schools and students for years to come.

On behalf of the Chariho administration, faculty, staff, and students, I extend our deepest condolences to Donna's family and loved ones. We are grateful for her many years of dedication to our district and to the students of Charlestown, Richmond, and Hopkinton.

Donna's commitment to education and to the students of Chariho will not be forgotten.

Sincerely, Gina Picard

The Town Council will appoint a replacement to represent Charlestown on the Chariho School Committee. That person will serve until the November election.

Documents Reveal a Web of Financial Ties Between Trump Officials and the Industries They Help Regulate

A deeper understanding of corruption in the Trump regime

By Corey G. Johnson, Brandon Roberts and Al Shaw for ProPublica

Thousands of companies are jockeying for billions of dollars in Defense Department contracts to build a shield designed to intercept and destroy missiles launched against the United States.

But amid the intense competition, a handful of firms have an important inside connection.

At least four of the companies awarded contracts so far are owned by Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity firm founded by billionaire Steve Feinberg, who until last year ran the company and is now the deputy secretary of defense — the second-highest-ranking official in the Pentagon.

Feinberg oversees the office in charge of the Golden Dome for America project, which is modeled on Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.

Feinberg filed paperwork saying he divested from Cerberus and its related businesses. But his government ethics records contain an unusual clause: He is allowed to continue contracting with the company for tax compliance and accounting services as well as health care coverage, a financial relationship that documents show could continue indefinitely.

Feinberg’s financial statements and ethics agreement are part of a trove of nearly 3,200 disclosure records that ProPublica is making public today. The disclosures, which can be viewed in a searchable online tool, detail the finances of more than 1,500 federal officials appointed by President Donald Trump. Records for Trump and Vice President JD Vance are also included.

The documents reveal a web of financial ties between senior government officials and the industries they help regulate — relationships that have drawn scrutiny as Trump has dismantled ethics safeguards designed to prevent conflicts of interest.

On his first day back in office, Trump rescinded an executive order signed by President Joe Biden that required his appointees to comply with an ethics pledge. The pledge barred them from working on issues related to their former lobbying topics or clients for two years. Weeks later, Trump fired 17 inspectors general charged with investigating fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest across the federal government. Around the same time, he removed the head of the Office of Government Ethics, the agency that oversees ethics compliance throughout the executive branch. The office is currently without a head or a chief of staff.

Against that backdrop, ProPublica has, over the past year, used the disclosure records to investigate how personal financial interests have intersected with government decision-making inside the Trump administration.

The documents helped show that senior executive branch officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, made well-timed securities trades, at times selling stocks just before markets plunged because Trump announced new tariffs. (The officials either did not respond to requests for comment or said they had no insider information before they made their trades.)

Other disclosures revealed that two high-ranking scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency who recently helped downgrade the agency’s assessment of the health risks of formaldehyde had previously held senior positions at the chemical industry’s leading trade group. (The EPA said the scientists had obtained ethics advice approving their work on the project.)

In December, ProPublica reported that Trump has appointed more than 200 people who collectively owned — either by themselves or with their spouses — between $175 million and $340 million in cryptocurrency investments at the time they filed their disclosures. Some of those appointees now hold positions overseeing or influencing regulation of the crypto industry. Among them are Todd Blanche, Trump’s former criminal defense attorney and now the second-highest-ranking official in the Justice Department.

Blanche’s disclosure records show that he owned at least $159,000 in crypto-related assets last year when he shut down investigations into crypto companies, dealers and exchanges.

Six Federal Scientists Run Out by Trump Talk About the Work Left Undone

Trump and Bobby Jr. ousted some of our very best medical experts

KFF Health News

Marc Ernstoff, a physician who has pioneered immunotherapy research and treatments for cancer patients, said his work as a federal scientist proved untenable under the Trump administration.

Philip Stewart, a Rocky Mountain Laboratories researcher focused on tick-borne diseases, said he retired two years earlier than planned because of hurdles that made it too challenging to do his job well.

Alexa Romberg, an addiction prevention scientist focused on tobacco, said she “lost a great deal” of the research she oversaw when federal grants vanished.

“If one is thinking about the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agenda and the prevention of chronic disease,” Romberg said, “tobacco use is the No. 1 contributor to early morbidity and mortality that we can prevent.”

Rachana Pradhan and Katheryn Houghton
and Eric Harkleroad Photos by 
Eric Harkleroad March 6, 2026

The National Institutes of Health is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, with a mission statement to “enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness.”

Over decades, the value of the NIH may be the one thing everyone in Washington has agreed on. Lawmakers have routinely boosted its funding.

“I’m so pleased to be associated with NIH,” former Sen. Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican and one of the NIH’s biggest champions in Congress, said in 2022 shortly before he retired.

But in President Donald Trump’s second term, the NIH has seen an exodus of scientists like Ernstoff, Stewart, and Romberg. Federal data shows the NIH lost about 4,400 people — more than 20% of its workforce. Scientists say the departures harm the U.S.’ ability to respond to disease outbreaks, develop treatments for chronic illnesses, and confront the nation’s most pressing public health problems.

“People are going to get hurt,” said Sylvia Chou, a scientist who worked at the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland, for over 15 years before she left in January. “There’s going to be a lot more health challenges and even deaths, because we need science in order to help people get healthy.”

Evolution theory

 

Deju vu all over again

URI Watershed Watch seeks volunteers to monitor ponds, streams, and coasts

Volunteer training starts in April

Kristen Curry

URI Photos / Watershed Watch

Ever dreamed of being a scientist? Or wanted to do more to protect your favorite water body? The University of Rhode Island’s  Watershed Watch, which has collected water quality data on lakes, ponds, reservoirs, rivers, streams and the marine environment throughout southern New England for four decades, is seeking volunteer water quality monitors.

A URI Cooperative Extension program, Watershed Watch volunteers help researchers understand how snowy winters, stormwater runoff, and droughts contribute to bacteria and surface algal blooms, affecting water quality. With decades of data, Watershed Watch volunteers contribute to better understanding how climate change impacts our local waters.

While volunteers are needed across the state, sites that are in particular need this year include Alton Pond, an impoundment on the Wood River bordering Hopkinton and Richmond, and several ponds in Cranston—including Blackamore and Spectacle ponds and Meshanticut Lake. Volunteers are also needed at several pond and stream sites in Warwick and at Melville Pond in Portsmouth.

A program of URI Cooperative Extension, Watershed Watch volunteers help to assess the impacts of weather, stormwater runoff, and other impacts on water quality, contributing to better understanding of the health of local waters.

Data will be used to help regional organizations and communities identify problems so they can protect and restore local water resources.

Cotter and DiPalma again push to make ‘green bond’ greener

Hoping to add a Green Bond measure to the 2026 ballot

Just as they did before the 2024 state election, Sen. Louis P. DiPalma and Rep. Megan L. Cotter have introduced legislation to add land preservation programs to the “green bond” proposed for November’s ballot.

Legislation they have introduced would add funding to the proposed Green Bond for state and local programs for conservation of open space and farmland, as well as for recreational spaces and programs.

“Rhode Islanders value the protection of open space, which is evident by the wide approval our Green Bonds usually get each election. Conservation is usually a big part of our Green Bonds, and it’s what Rhode Islanders expect to get when they vote to support them,” said Representative Cotter (D-Dist. 39, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton). 

“Our legislation ensures our state and local conservation programs can continue to save farmlands, forests and other vital resources that help protect our environment, maintain our state’s natural beauty and character and provide access to recreation and peaceful places that all Rhode Islanders deserve.”

Sen. DiMario introduces legislation to address workforce shortages through loan assistance

DiMario wants to help with student debt

Sen. Alana M. DiMario has introduced legislation to attract and retain much-needed workforce talent by establishing a fund to provide partial loan repayments to Rhode Island workers employed in high-need professions.

“Student loan debt is a burden facing so many of our young professionals, and having a program established to assist them will allow the state and its employers to quickly put available workforce development dollars from any source to effective use to attract and retain much-needed talent,” said Senator DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham). 

“In the short term this could address our state’s health care staffing crisis by helping to recruit and retain professionals in high-demand areas, including primary care providers and mental health practitioners, but it would work equally well for other sectors of our workforce that might experience shortages in the future. Additionally, administering this program through the existing Rhode Island Student Loan Authority cuts down on administrative costs for the state by reducing duplicative programs and means that participants could maximize their repayment and tax benefits.”

The bill (2026-S 2662) would establish a fund under the administration of RISLA to provide loan-repayment assistance to workers in high-need professions who have committed to work full-time in their profession for a prescribed term of service.

Investing Public Pensions in Fossil Fuel and AI Companies Is More Than Amoral – It’s Bad Business

Public pension money should be directed to where it will do the most good

Liz Perlman and Stephen Lerner for Common Dreams

We're not this guy

Our country faces an affordability crisis amidst fundamental attacks on democracy. Public employee pension plans can either be part of the solution or part of the problem.

Late last year, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander recommended the city’s pension boards drop BlackRock and other portfolio managers that don’t have decarbonization plans up to the city’s standards. Lander’s initiative was blocked, and the editorial board of The Washington Post accused him of playing politics. But Lander argued that his recommendation was in line with the government’s fiduciary duty to protect the long-term value of pension funds, the retirement systems most public sector workers rely on—and have been paying into their entire careers. He’s right. 

In this critical moment in history, companies that are actively hastening climate change, threatening housing security, eliminating jobs and industries, and destabilizing our democracy and economy do not deserve our investment. Yes, they are acting immorally but they are also very bad investments with little promise of future returns for public sector workers. It’s not “playing politics” to refuse to fund their efforts to dismantle our society. That’s why we’re calling on pension boards across the country to take a hard look at their portfolios and make the smart business decision: stop investing in companies like this today.

The stakes could not be higher: pension funds account for $6.1 trillion in state and local defined-benefit funds alone. Every month, nearly 15 million workers across the country contribute part of their paycheck to ensure they have enough income to retire securely. This is a big pot of money and the companies that boards choose to invest it with matter. 

For public sector workers, pensions are not only retirement funds, but deferred current compensation. Workers are forsaking their hard-earned money today for the potential of a dignified future. Meanwhile, corporations are using that money today to further their own goals—many of which are directly at odds with the goals, livelihoods, and futures of public employees.

EDITOR'S DISCLOSURE: Steve Lerner and I go back 40 years when he was a young textile worker organizer. Steve was a frequent house guest at our suburban DC home. On one of his visits, Cathy and I (well, mostly Cathy) introduced him to Marilyn Sniederman. I told Cathy I wouldn't recognize her skills as a yenta until the bris of their first son. When that happened, I admitted my mistake. Later on, when I went to work in the labor movement, I worked with both Marilyn and Steve in my first union job. I owe them both.  - Will Collette

Makes total sense