Suppress Native American Alcohol Research
False Assumption: Scientists should cover up Native Americans' binge drinking problems rather than study their biochemical causes.
Written by FARAgent on February 10, 2026
In August 2025, Nature published an ex-NIH executive calling for funding to conceal Native Americans' alcohol issues instead of investigating them scientifically. This reflected advanced conventional wisdom that noticing group differences in drinking problems harms science.
Aboriginal peoples like American Indians encountered alcohol only after 1492. They continue to face terrible binge drinking problems. Groups with longer ancestral exposure, such as Mediterranean peoples, show fewer issues. Critics argue evolutionary adaptations explain these patterns, but elites prioritize suppression over research.
Growing questions surround suppressing such inquiries. Evidence of global correlations between ancestral drinking history and current problems mounts. Dissenters call for biochemical studies to help affected groups adapt, much like skin cancer treatments aid high-latitude peoples in sunny climates.
People Involved
- An ex-NIH executive stepped forward to champion a particular view on Native American alcohol issues. This figure argued that scientists ought to fund efforts to conceal binge drinking problems among Native Americans, rather than pursue scientific studies into their causes. The executive's stance gained attention in certain circles. Critics pointed to contrasts with groups of Mediterranean ancestry, such as Jews and Italians, who showed fewer binge drinking issues thanks to long histories of alcohol exposure. These examples underscored potential vulnerabilities for aboriginal peoples after 1492, yet the push for cover-up persisted among some. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“Ex-NIH exec: Rather than do anything scientific to help Native Americans binge drink less, scientists should be funded to cover up their problems.”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
“In the U.S. people of Mediterranean ancestry, such as Jews and Italians, whose ancestors have been drinking wine since before the Pyramids, are less prone to binge drinking and the like than are Brits and Scandinavians, whose ancestors got their hands on alcohol more recently.”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
Organizations Involved
Nature magazine entered the fray by publishing the ex-NIH executive's opinion. The piece urged scientists to suppress awareness of Native American alcohol problems, favoring concealment over research. This move came from a leading scientific journal. Meanwhile, the NIH itself, through voices of its former leaders, shaped perspectives that leaned toward hiding these issues instead of investigating them. Institutional weight lent credibility to the idea, even as questions mounted. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
“Ex-NIH exec: Rather than do anything scientific to help Native Americans binge drink less, scientists should be funded to cover up their problems.”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
The Foundation
The assumption took root amid sensitivities about differences between groups. It seemed plausible to some because acknowledging such variances risked controversy. This led to sub-beliefs that dismissed evolutionary history's role in alcohol susceptibility. Global patterns showed links between ancestral exposure to alcohol and current problem rates, offering grounds for biochemical research. Yet elites often brushed these aside, deeming them unfit for attention and thus bolstering the case for concealment. Critics argue this foundation rests on shaky ground, as growing questions surround the dismissal of evolutionary evidence. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“But the Advanced Conventional Wisdom is that …”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
“All over the world, there’s a sizable correlation between how long ago a people’s ancestors started drinking alcohol and how bad their alcohol problems are at present.”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
How It Spread
The idea spread through high-profile channels. Prestige journals like Nature amplified calls to ignore group differences in alcohol issues. They did so via opinion pieces from ex-government officials. This dissemination happened in the pages of respected publications, reaching wide audiences in academia and beyond. Social pressures and funding priorities helped sustain the notion, though dissenters began to challenge its hold. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
Harm Caused
Native Americans continued to face binge drinking challenges without the benefit of possible biochemical solutions. The suppression of research left potential interventions unexplored. This paralleled failures to adapt to other environmental mismatches, such as skin cancer risks in high-latitude populations. Aboriginal groups remained without targeted tools to address alcohol troubles. Critics argue that this ongoing lack represents a significant cost, as unexamined problems persist amid the debate. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“Various aboriginal peoples, such as American Indians, New Zealand Maoris, and Australian Aborigines, didn’t come into contact with alcohol until after 1492 and continue to have terrible problems with drinking.”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
“It would seem like a really good idea for medical researchers to study the biochemistry behind patterns of alcohol troubles and see what could be done to help those whose exposure to alcohol is relatively new.”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
Downfall
The assumption faced growing scrutiny over time. Critics stepped up by highlighting evolutionary patterns in alcohol tolerance across various populations. They documented these trends to expose the push for cover-ups. This exposure added to mounting evidence that challenges the original stance. The debate remains active, with dissenters arguing against suppression in favor of open inquiry. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“Perhaps, Middle Easterners evolved in their ability to deal with drinking?”— Nature: Stop Noticing American Indians' Drinking Problems!
Sources
- [1]