An epidemiologist who has speculated about whether there is a connection between Covid-19 vaccines and “turbo cancer” in young people, and works as chief epidemiologist at a company that sells ivermectin alongside reviews that claim it has efficacy as a cancer treatment, has been appointed by president Donald Trump to a key position overseeing the National Cancer Program.
Harvey Risch, a professor emeritus of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, announced his appointment as chair of the President’s Cancer Panel on X earlier this month. Risch’s profile page on the Yale website has also been updated to read, “In November 2025, President Trump appointed Dr. Risch to Chair the President's Cancer panel.”
No formal announcement was made by the president or the White House, and the Cancer Panel website’s list of current members does not include Risch. The White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Cancer Panel, and Risch did not respond to requests for comment.
In his new position, Risch will oversee a group which is assigned to monitor “the development and execution of the activities of the National Cancer Program and report to the President on progress, efficacy, and opportunities for improvement,” according to the Cancer Panel’s website.
As well as lending credibility to unproven treatments for Covid-19 like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin—he promoted the former in congressional testimony—Risch has more recently wondered whether the Covid-19 vaccines cause “turbo cancer” in some people. Now experts are worried that he could derail critical research into the causes and treatments for cancer.
“Having him on the panel charged with monitoring the progress of efforts to improve cancer treatment and providing recommendations to the president is a disaster for cancer patients, as he will inject conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, and false claims about cancer into the panel’s reports,” alleges David Gorski, a surgical oncologist.
Another expert, who spoke to WIRED on condition of anonymity because they’re afraid of retribution for speaking out about a Trump appointee, warned that they are concerned his conspiracy-adjacent beliefs might bleed into the National Cancer Program, a longstanding effort to coordinate the funding of critical cancer research and training.
“I am genuinely concerned that we are going to see ivermectin for cancer promoted at the federal level,” the doctor, who closely tracks the spread of medical disinformation, tells WIRED.