Madison Area Lyme Support Group

CHEST has long been a stronghold of institutional medicine: an annual gathering where pulmonary and critical care physicians from the world’s largest hospital systems and academic centers set the tone for clinical standards and scientific recognition.

At CHEST 2025, something different happened: an independent alliance is outpacing the establishment.

Led by IMA President Dr. Joseph Varon, our team contributed more original research than many of the most well-funded organizations in the country. That isn’t a boast; it’s a measurable step forward in reclaiming scientific spaces that were once closed to independent researchers.

“At CHEST 2025, I was struck by the fact that the IMA—our independent, grassroots organization—had more scientific presentations than some of the largest medical institutions in the country. Proof that dedication and vision often outperform size and bureaucracy.” — Dr. Joseph Varon

What is CHEST and Why Does It Matter

Founded in 1935, the CHEST Annual Meeting is organized by the American College of Chest Physicians. It is one of the most influential global conferences in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. Each year, thousands of clinicians, researchers, and policymakers gather to share emerging science, update protocols, and shape future guidelines.

Participation at CHEST is a strong signal of credibility. It’s the place where clinical science is discussed not just in theory, but in terms of its immediate application to patient care. For an independent medical group to be not only present but prominent shows that change in medicine is possible—and already underway.

Independent, Evidence-Driven, and Growing

For decades, CHEST has been the domain of large academic institutions and government-aligned research groups. This year, Dr. Varon, together with several of his researchers and students, presented a dozen original abstracts, including work on:

• Pulmonary disease

• Intensive care medicine

• Optimization of patient care

That kind of presence doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of years of persistence, especially at a time when independent research was under immense pressure.

If you followed us during the COVID era, you’ll know that our physicians challenged flawed policies and raised concerns about mRNA vaccine harms. The response was swift: licenses were threatened, voices were censored, and reputations attacked. But the work continued.

The fact that we’re here today—publishing, presenting, and helping shape clinical conversations—is a testament to the strength of our mission. We survived a Goliath-like effort to silence us, and we’re still standing. Still researching. Still delivering solutions for patients.

Proof in the Medical Literature

Beyond CHEST, IMA researchers continue to publish in respected peer-reviewed journals. Recent examples include:

• Innovative Approaches to Pain & Opioid Use Disorder

• DARE-SAFE: A New Standard for Drug and Vaccine Safety

• Nutrition and Bone Health

• Natural Compounds for Anxiety

These studies are recent examples of a much broader trend: our science, once dismissed, is now being examined seriously. The same mainstream institutions that ignored our findings are beginning to revisit the data and ask questions we have been asking for years.

👉 Visit IMA’s Research Center

Our Research Leadership

IMA’s growing influence in medical research reflects leadership grounded in clinical experience, scientific rigor, and long-term commitment.

Dr. Joseph Varon, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of IMA, has authored more than 1,000 peer-reviewed studies while continuing to practice medicine and mentor the next generation of researchers. He also leads the editorial vision of the Journal of Independent Medicine as its Editor-in-Chief, ensuring a continued focus on practical, patient-centered science.

Dr. Paul Marik, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, has published over 600 peer-reviewed papers and remains one of the most cited intensivists in the world. His recent induction into the Orthomolecular Medicine Hall of Fame recognized both the scope and influence of his scientific contributions.

Together, they’ve helped establish a model for medical research that puts patients first, values real-world outcomes, and refuses to compromise on scientific integrity.

A Journal for Uncensored Science

The Journal of Independent Medicine is preparing to release its fourth edition this November, marking the completion of its inaugural year.

The journal exists for one purpose: to give space to research that asks difficult but essential questions. Many of those questions cannot be raised in pharmaceutical-sponsored publications. Here, they can. It is a platform for physicians and scientists who still believe that medicine must serve patients first and tell the truth, even when it is inconvenient.

Expanding in 2026: Special Editions

Building on the success of its first year, IMA will introduce two new special editions in 2026:

• “Treating Post-Vaccine Complications”

  • Submission Deadline: December 31, 2025

  • Publication Date: 2026

• “Repurposed Drugs and Nutraceuticals in the Chronic Disease Epidemic”

  • Submission Deadline: February 28, 2026

  • Publication Date: 2026

These editions will expand opportunities for independent researchers and clinicians to publish meaningful work that drives progress rather than compliance.

👉 Submit your research or learn more here

Looking Ahead

CHEST 2025 was not about arrival or recognition. It was about progress earned through steady, verifiable work.

Through peer-reviewed research, transparent publishing, and the leadership of dedicated physicians, IMA is proving that independent medicine can thrive within the highest levels of scientific discourse.

Our work has always stood on its own merit. What has changed is that the world is finally ready to recognize it. And this is only the beginning.

For more coverage, check out where our globetrotting team of experts has been lately below:

• Independent Medical Alliance Advances Health Policy Reform in Washington, D.C.

• Dr. Paul Marik Inducted into the Orthomolecular Medicine Hall of Fame

• “Truth Has No Borders”: IMA Senior Fellows Join Global Medical Leaders in Spain

• Health Freedom on the Line: IMA at the 2025 Reclaiming Conference in Canada

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**Comment**

This is wonderful news and another wonderful silver lining to COVID mania.

Independent research has been the only thing moving the Lyme/MSIDS needle, and because it’s such a polarized disease, research is political, not scientific and is purposely designed for a predetermined outcome.

The world is beginning to see what Lymeland has known for over 40 years.