Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Immigration Ban Fiercely Denounced By Research Community
Over 4,000 academics, including 25 Nobel laureates, have聽signed a petition denouncing an executive order signed by President Donald Trump聽that bars people from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the US. Under the order, signed Friday, nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are prohibited from entering the US for at least 90 days, regardless of whether they have green cards or visas. (Garde, 1/28)
President聽Trump鈥檚 temporary ban on immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries could hamper bioscience research, according to Hakim Djaballah, a biotech consultant聽in New York. Djaballah, who works in the fields of aging, infectious disease, and oncology, is on the board of the Pasteur Institute of Iran, and he鈥檚聽concerned that mounting tensions between the US and countries affected聽by the聽90-day ban 鈥 Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen 鈥 might impede scientific progress. (Keshavan, 1/30)
During a week when President Trump鈥檚 efforts to ban immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations touched off alarms among scientists worldwide, his former rival was sending a very different message. Hillary Clinton spent Wednesday evening at a star-studded fundraiser supporting the cancer research of two top scientists at Columbia University 鈥 both of whom happen to be immigrants. One of the event鈥檚 beneficiaries was Dr. Azra Raza, who last summer wrote an opinion piece for STAT under the headline: 鈥淚鈥檓 an immigrant and a Muslim. And I鈥檓 here to cure cancer.鈥 Raza, who researches early-stage leukemia, grew up in Pakistan. She said Clinton repeatedly thanked her for her work. (Robbins, 1/29)
President Trump鈥檚 order closing the nation鈥檚 borders to people from seven predominantly Muslim countries echoed across Boston鈥檚 academic institutions and research laboratories Saturday, blocking some scholars from entering the country and leaving scores more in limbo. The directive, which also halts refugees worldwide from entering the United States for 120 days, prompted leaders at schools such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Northeastern University to offer support to students and academics whose lives might be upended by the order. (Crimaldi, Allen and Sacchetti, 1/28)
Governor Charlie Baker said Sunday that President Trump鈥檚 immigration order puts at risk the ability of Massachusetts鈥檚 education, health care, and business sectors to do their jobs. 鈥淢assachusetts is a global community. We all benefit from the shared experiences of our partners from around the world,鈥 Baker said in a written statement. 鈥淥ur education, health care, business and public sector institutions rely on these relationships to deliver on their missions every single day.鈥 (Belman, 1/29)