SALT LAKE CITY, UT: June 24, 2026 – Today, Do No Harm released a report that documents the marked increase in the use of “social determinants of health” (SDOH) ideology and language in medical literature over the last decade. The report raises concerns that, as the volume of medical articles mentioning SDOH increases and the factors discussed under its umbrella expand, the term risks introducing harmful ideologies into the practice of healthcare.
The report, titled “The Expanding Scope of Social Determinants of Health,” reviews articles published in the past decade from some of the most prominent medical journals, including the BMJ, the Lancet, JAMA, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Nature Medicine. The analysis finds that the annual number of SDOH-related articles more than tripled over the last 10 years, that references to race or racism as social determinants of health have surged, and that healthcare is increasingly becoming shaped by radical forces outside the clinic itself.
“The expansion of the social determinants of health framework is a serious cause for concern,” said Ian Kingsbury, Sr. Director of Do No Harm’s Center for Accountability in Medicine. “Introducing new areas outside a physician’s scope is a tool to advance a leftist political ideology rather than allowing providers to focus on high-quality patient care. As the concept of SDOH becomes overly inclusive and addresses complex social and economic issues, we increasingly burden physicians with solving problems far outside their clinical expertise. Do No Harm is committed to ensuring the medical field is not influenced by political agendas and remains focused on recruiting and educating excellent healthcare professionals who can deliver top-tier care.”
Click here to read the full report.
The report’s analysis, done by DNH senior fellow Jason Bedrick, captures the heightened focus on race, racism, and discrimination in medicine today, as well as the increasing tendency of medical articles to devote time and attention to a wide range of policy areas that go beyond their medical expertise.
Do No Harm has commented previously on the flaws of SDOH ideology and has asserted that it is not the role of medical professionals to have a comprehensive understanding of ideological issues or to serve as civic reformers. Simply put, doctors are not public-policy experts and should not behave as such in the medical literature.
Do No Harm, established in April 2022, has rapidly gained recognition and made significant strides in its mission to safeguard healthcare from ideological threats. It has over 50,000 members, including doctors, nurses, physicians, and concerned citizens across all 50 states and 14 countries.
