Several federal health agencies have stopped releasing some critical health information—including updates on some outbreak investigations—amid a department-wide communications “pause” by the Trump administration, though many other “mission Critical” updates are being released now. learned
The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a moratorium on “mass communications and public displays that are not directly related to an emergency or have a significant relationship to protecting health.” “This is a short break to allow the new team to review and set up a process for prioritization.”
The Food and Drug Administration, a federal agency of HHS, usually issues updates The investigation Outbreaks associated with Contaminated food every Wednesday, but the agency did not release them this week. As of the FDA’s last update on Jan. 15, officials were investigating multiple outbreaks of E. coli and Listeria.
Publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s authoritative scientific publications, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly ReportThere has also been a delay, health officials said. Articles are published practically every Thursday For decadesdetailing agency guidance, updates on disease outbreak investigations and health risk studies. But no problem was published last Thursday.
Weekly CDC update on rates Flu And The covid-19 vaccine The agency’s website shows that it has also been disrupted. Local health departments and nonprofits rely on these data to track uptake of shots, and outreach is targeted to communities looking at immunization rates.
A Jan. 21 memo obtained by CBS News from Acting Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Dorothy Fink told health agencies “as a precedent,” all new policies, communications and speaking engagements will be cleared by the new administration. has stopped without doing, ordered them to clean them from the new administration. February 1st.
Politico first reported the directive on Tuesday.
Spear said there are “exceptions” for “mission-critical” announcements, which will be made on a “case-by-case basis.”
On Thursday, the CDC still released it Weekly Tele Certain infectious diseases are reported to the Department of Health agency, including germ tracking Cough cough It has seen record tides in recent months.
Updated data on trends in Emergency room visits Respiratory diseases were also updated on Friday. Local officials and health care systems use the data to track Influenza and covid-19 during each winter surge.
At least some of the CDC’s work with outsiders is ongoing. A spokeswoman for the Alabama Department of Health said Thursday that the CDC is still involved in one Ongoing investigation of uncommon side effects associated with antibiotic injections used in the state.
A lab official outside the federal government said public health labs have also not been barred from the pause.
There was also an update on the CDC travel advisory about Tanzania Published on Thursdayafter the World Health Organization announced An outbreak of Marburg virus disease was confirmed in the country.
The FDA is still ongoing Notes about memories. a Safety Communication Also posted by the FDA this week is a warning about allergic reactions linked to multiple sclerosis drugs.
Several current and former health officials said communication has slowed during the recent transition, as incoming officials try to get a handle around a firestorm of information and guidance coming from the federal health bureaucracy. Who is
But some also said the length and scope of the communication slowdown was unusual, leading to confusion among staff as health agencies halted or clawed back communications, meetings and events to comply with the directive. Tried to stop.
At the National Institutes of Health, meetings set up to review grant applications were abruptly canceled and agency experts at external events and conferences were either unexpectedly withdrawn or absent, a researcher said. It was attended to without comment.
A meeting was scheduled for next week by the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Also cancelledaccording to an email obtained by CBS News. Health officials from several countries were to discuss strategies to respond to the superbug at the meeting.
Another monthly meeting scheduled by the CDC for January 27 with testing laboratories was also canceled. CDC relies on monthly calls to get guidance from labs and to answer questions about ongoing outbreaks, such as the most recent one. Change in testing Procedures in response to this past year’s unprecedented bird flu outbreak.
The end of the communications “pause” coincides with the end of Senate hearings next week for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s controversial nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
It is unclear whether the former Democrat, who has been widely criticized for his anti-vaccine statements and activism, will have the support to confirm in the closely divided Senate.
