Critics fear the move could stifle the flow of health information, though others say it’s a normal part of the government transition process.
United States President Donald Trump’s administration has called on federal health agencies to temporarily halt their external communications, including public reports of public health events.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the administration’s memo on Wednesday, the day it was sent announcing the “immediate pause” to federal health workers.
In the memo, acting secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Dorothy Fink, told staff that some exemptions would be granted for “critical health, safety, environmental, financial or national security operations” — but only on review. After
The pause affects regulations, press releases, social media posts, website changes and public health guidance. This includes publications such as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and other data releases published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Such material can only be released after approval by a Trump appointee. This moratorium will remain in effect until February 1.
Critics worry that the break could be used to block research and other public health information that may not align with the new administration’s priorities.
They point to Trump’s first term, from 2017 to 2021, when he clashed with public health officials over the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, for example, Trump blamed the number of COVID-19 tests for generating alarming statistics.
“When you test to that extent, you’re going to find more people, you’re going to find more cases,” Trump said. “So I told my people, ‘Please reduce the testing.’
Several CDC leaders later testified that Trump officials at the time pressured them to change the weekly morbidity and mortality report, though they refused. Republican leaders have denied the allegations.
Still, some experts question whether this week’s hiatus on publications is simply the result of a new administration taking the reins.
Steven Grossman, a former Health and Human Services official, told The Associated Press that other administrations have similarly tried to take a break from public releases while they settle into their leadership roles.
“The executive branch is a hierarchy,” said Grossman, who now consults with food and drug companies.
“Whether publicly stated or not, every new administration wants major commitments and positions to wait until new teams are in place and some semblance of hierarchy is restored.”
Fink, an endocrinologist, is currently leading Health and Human Services on an interim basis while the U.S. Senate considers whether to confirm Trump’s pick to lead the department, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine expert.
In addition, Trump pulled the US out of the World Health Organization on Monday, the first day of his second term, accusing the group of “mishandling” the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, critics warned that the move would affect America’s ability to prepare for the next pandemic and hinder cross-border cooperation.
