Politicization of Medicine: Lessons from The War on Epidemic Typhus

Historical Interlude

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Politicization of Medicine: Lessons from The War on Epidemic Typhus

Historical Interlude

Science and Medicine were heavily politicized during the era of totalitarianisms. Nazi and Soviet physicians were staunchly politicized and perpetuated numerous politically motivated crimes against humanity (Ref), (Ref). Many Nazi and Soviet scientists have abandoned the impartiality of science and embraced the prejudicious political doctrines (Ref), (Ref), (Ref) (Ref). This replacement of objectivity with the political bias had tragic consequences for the politicized scientists’ nations, for the whole humankind and ultimately for those scientists personal lives as well (Ref), (Ref), (Ref) (Ref).

However, there were many significant exceptions from the rule of rampant politicization of medical science. Even during totalitarian era, the decisions about prevention and treatment of the epidemic typhus were NOT based upon ideology nor partisan interests. They were made using apolitical scientific analysis of the objective evidence. Nazis, Soviets, Americans, British and all Allies used virtually the same methods of prevention and treatment of epidemic typhus during the second World War (Ref), (Ref).

Germans were mortal enemies of Americans, French, British, and Russians in terms of their political ideology. Yet those bitter political adversaries became strong allies in their war against the typhus spreading lice (Ref). A war they all ultimately won, because they were able to wage that conflict using the impartial, non-politicized medical science as their wonder weapon. Judgment of their physicians and scientists was not clouded by their political biases. Recommendations of the medical experts were not influenced by their implicit obligation to promote the financial interest of the generous party’s patrons. No medical measure was reflexively rejected because the despised leader of the opposing party has endorsed it in his speech. No dubious method was enthusiastically favored since its implementation would be profitable to the powerful political donors or to the people who share same political views. No modality was instinctively hated because the “other side” loved it - without any considerations for its objective efficacy and safety - and vice versa.

Clearly, about 80 years ago even the fanatical Nazis and Soviets were more interested in controlling the deadly plague than in “owning the other side” or in pleasing their party’s sponsors or fellow party-members. This is not an endorsement of Nazis or Soviets but the indictment of current partisanship in medicine (Ref), (Ref).

Selected References:

Fuller, Matthew D. (2009) "The Ideological Scalpel: Physician Perpetrators, Medicalized Killing and the Nazi Biocracy," History in the Making: Vol. 2 , Article 7.
Available at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/history-in-the-making/vol2/iss1/7

Crichton, M. (2015). Why Politicized Science is Dangerous - MichaelCrichton.com. Michael Crichton Website. Adopted from “State of Fear.” https://www.michaelcrichton.com/why-politicized-science-is-dangerous/

Jenkins L. The difference genealogy makes: strategies for politicisation or how to extend capacities for autonomy: Political Studies 2011;59(1):156-174. doi: 10.1111/J.1467-9248.2010.00844.X.

Schmid-Petri H, Bienzeisler N, Beseler A. Effects of politicization on the practice of science. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci 2022;188(1):45-63. doi: 10.1016/BS.PMBTS.2021.11.005.

Mazzuca C, Santarelli M. Making it abstract, making it contestable: politicization at the intersection of political and cognitive science. Rev Philos Psychol. Published online May 21, 2022. doi:10.1007/S13164-022-00640-2. Available at: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s13164-022-00640-2.pdf. Accessed Jul 22, 2022.

Bolsen T, Palm R. Politicization and COVID-19 vaccine resistance in the U.S. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci2022;188(1):81. doi: 10.1016/BS.PMBTS.2021.10.002.