I am a cancer survivor. If it weren’t for continuing medical research, I would not be alive today. Both the research and development of microsurgery and chemotherapy were instrumental in me being cancer-free now. My father wasn’t so fortunate.

Scientific research builds on the work of past breakthroughs. The USA has been the center for scientific research of the world — until now. The current administration has fired scientists, eliminated programs and terminated vital research on communicable diseases, cancer and other vital areas of research, without any understanding of the repercussions. Some research studies are shut down or delayed, taking years to recreate.

According to a recent Nature poll, more than 75% of respondents, more than 1,200 scientists, said they are thinking of leaving this country for a more hospitable one, like Canada or in Europe. This has a direct impact on the health of all of us, especially our children and grandchildren.

If scientists hadn’t already been working on new innovative viral studies and been able to reconfigure their work, Operation Warp Speed would not have been possible. It would have taken years to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and that could have resulted in millions more deaths.

How much are our loved ones worth?

Sen. Susan Collins has said research is “in jeopardy.” Maybe if we send enough letters to her, she will actually do something to stop the destruction of the most innovative and advanced scientific community in the world — before it’s too late.

Robert Gibson
Harpswell