Evidence-based government policymaking should not be politicized but should strive to promote progress and benefit all Americans. Unfortunately, the expertise needed to formulate sound policy and make wise decisions is unlikely to come from many of President-elect Trump's appointees.

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As the United States prepares for a new presidential administration, Nautilus and the Aspen Institute asked eminent scientists nationwide to offer recommendations for its science and technology agenda. Many group members called for additional investment in science, arguing that research is more essential than ever for navigating the nation's complex challenges, particularly in a society marked by deep political divisions.

In his introduction to the report, Aaron F. Mertz, the executive director for science and society at the Aspen Institute, singled out a particular issue that science faces — rampant anti-science propaganda:

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Misguided COVID-minimizers like to say that COVID-19 is no worse than a cold that lasts a few days and then disappears without any sequelae. They're so wrong, and the evidence of that continues to mount.

In 2022, the CDC identified the onset of new conditions following infection that "might be related to their previous COVID-19 illness":

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Access to affordable, high-quality health care is essential — particularly for more vulnerable Americans such as seniors and the disabled. Unfortunately, a dysfunctional Medicare physician compensation system is threatening to undermine access to care. Congress must work to reform the broken Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) as a critical element to putting the program on a more sustainable path to protecting and improving seniors' access to health care.

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In early 2023, as news of H5N1 avian influenza ("bird flu") spreading among dairy cows reached the White House, the stage was set for a high-stakes conflict between two government agencies. Rear Admiral Deborah Friedrichs, head of the White House's Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR), immediately set her sights on curbing the virus's spread.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA), led by Secretary Tom Vilsack, also took up the task — but with a different set of priorities. What unfolded was a stark clash of interests, revealing the tensions between safeguarding public health and protecting the powerful dairy industry.

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