Editor defends emails to Fauci.

Science Editor-in-Chief Defends Fawning Emails to Dr. Fauci During COVID-19 Pandemic

The editor-in-chief of the Science family of journals, Holden Thorp, is standing by his fawning emails to Dr. Anthony Fauci during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the emails, Thorp called Fauci’s family “the first family of science” and offered to print an op-ed about “whatever you want,” including “what it’s like to be” an action figure or a bobblehead. Thorp even owns a Fauci bobblehead and has repeatedly praised Fauci on social media and in the magazine.

Fauci’s False Statements

Dr. Fauci, the former head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, has made false statements about the COVID-19 pandemic. He acknowledged lying about masks out of concern there would be a shortage early in the pandemic and falsely claimed that after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, one would “become a dead end to the virus.” The randomized clinical trials did not evaluate whether the mRNA Covid vaccines prevent transmission. Fauci has also claimed that the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) didn’t fund gain-of-function experiments at a laboratory in Wuhan, China, where the first COVID-19 cases appeared in 2019. However, documents from the institutes show U.S.-funded experiments at the lab increased the function of a virus.

Thorp’s Defense

Thorp defended his emails to Fauci, stating that it is entirely appropriate for the EIC of Science to have collegial relationships with their authors. He even followed up with Fauci after Biden took office, asking again for an editorial while praising him for his appearance in the White House briefing room. Fauci’s editorial ran in April 2021, after the 2020 election, and called the COVID-19 vaccines “a remarkable success.” Thorp later messaged Fauci and Dr. Francis Collins, the head of NIH at the time, with an apologetic email about publishing a piece calling for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

Conclusion

While Thorp stands by his emails to Fauci, it is important to acknowledge the false statements made by the former head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. As the world continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to rely on accurate information and hold those in positions of power accountable for their actions and statements.