Close to all scientific reports and communications from federal health agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have been paused due to orders from President Donald Trump, NBC News reports.
In a memo handed down by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting Secretary, Dr. Dorothy Fink, on Jan. 21, all agency leaders, including the Food and Drug Administration, should “refrain from publicly issuing any document” or communication, including regulations and press releases, “until it has been reviewed and approved by a Presidential appointee.” The pause will last through Feb. 1.
The country awaits controversial nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s potential confirmation as the new head of HHS. However, a temporary pause in federal communications is normal during transition periods so the new administration can get up to speed. “We’re holding for the new team to come in and set guidance,” an HHS official said, “but we’ve had little instruction.” While HHS officials highlighted that a slight pause is not a cause for concern, anything more than a week raises alarm.
Before the Trump-Vance administration took over the White House, health officials alluded to a rise in the spread of the bird flu. A memo from the CDC highlighting the outbreak was scheduled to be released on Jan. 23.
As HHS projects no cause for concern, health advocates say otherwise. Former CDC Acting Director and President of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Dr. Richard Besser, says a communications pause is an essential health threat to the American people. “Not a day goes by when the CDC isn’t tracking a potential threat to our health. Right now, they are letting us know about bird flu in cows, birds, and people. Every time there is an outbreak involving food, they let us know how to avoid getting sick,” Besser said, according to CNN.
“They let us know where diseases are occurring around the world that could affect our health here or if we travel. Cutting off communications from the CDC puts our health at risk and prevents our doctors, nurses, and public health leaders in our communities from doing their jobs. I urge the administration to quickly lift the pause.”
Fink’s communications pause memo includes social media, however, that didn’t stop scientists from jumping on apps to express frustrations in several areas, including the lack of money for research grants since the NIH stopped approving funds. Dr. Jane Liebschutz took to Bluesky to talk about how damaging the pause can be. “All NIH study sections canceled indefinitely. This will halt science and devastate research budgets in universities,” she wrote.
All NIH study sections canceled indefinitely. This will halt science and devastate research budgets in universities.
— Jane Liebschutz, MD MPH (she/her) (@liebschutz.bsky.social) January 22, 2025 at 3:46 PM
She alleged that the pause comes from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), allowing the president or advisor to terminate any advisory committee at any time. The NIH awards over 60,000 grants per year, supporting approximately 300,000 researchers. Without the grants, scientists won’t be able to start new research on asthma, pediatric cancer, COVID-19, or Ebola.
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