Johns Hopkins Professor of Surgery Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. said that LinkedIn removed a research letter he co-authored because the scientific research allegedly violated its “Professional Community Policies.” He later tweeted that Linkedin reinstated it “after a friend compl[ained] to the CEO.”

Makary posted a link to a research letter published by the Journal of the American Medical Association Network on LinkedIn, according to screenshots he tweeted. The letter outlined a study Makary conducted that reviewed the “Prevalence and Durability of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Among Unvaccinated US Adults.” Makary’s screenshots show that LinkedIn purportedly “removed [the letter] because it goes against [LinkedIn’s] Professional Community Policies.”

LinkedIn’s Professional Community Policies forbid users from sharing “false or misleading content.” It also bars all users, including scientists and medical professionals, from sharing “content that directly contradicts guidance from leading global health organizations and public health authorities.”

It is unclear how Makary’s study broke LinkedIn’s policy. The study reportedly found antibodies in over 50 percent of people who either tested positive for COVID-19 or who “believed they had COVID-19 but were never tested.” The study, however, acknowledged its limitations and that “these findings merit further consideration.”

LinkedIn is not unique for its censorship of medical experts. MRC CensorTrack’s most recent study found 808 examples of censorship related to COVID-19. The total included 32 medical experts and nine scientific/medical groups. 

LinkedIn did not respond to MRC Free Speech America’s request for comment at the time of publishing.