Some communication from federal health agencies is now allowed; most still blocked

Much of the scientific communication typically released publicly from federal health agencies remains on pause, according to multiple sources within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

Staffers say the communications stoppage, along with a barrage of memos from the Trump administration with sweeping instructions to scrub all evidence of gender identity and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, is affecting efforts to protect Americans’ health within the health agencies.

The halt in communications is occurring during an intense flu season and outbreaks of other respiratory illnesses, as well as an escalating bird flu outbreak.

“Their effects on the CDC has led to a near complete stop of day-to-day work,” said a physician at the CDC who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The Department of Health and Human Services directives allow for the release of communications that could be considered a matter of critical health and safety.

The pause was expected to end Feb. 1.

Andrew Nixon, HHS’ director of communications, wrote in an email Tuesday that “several types of external communications” are no longer subject to the pause, and that “all HHS divisions have been given clear guidance on how to seek approval for any other type of mass communication.”

Nixon did not clarify what he meant by “external communications.”

One of the CDC’s weekly reports on flu activity was delayed by several days. And while the agency has updated its bird flu website, it has not held a public briefing on the matter in weeks. 

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The CDC hasn’t published its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, or MMWR, since Jan. 16.

One CDC employee confirmed that their scientific paper and multiple others that have nothing to do with DEI had been pulled from near publication at peer-reviewed journals.

“It’s perfectly natural and appropriate for a new administration to take a different approach to policy,” said Dr. Richard Besser, president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting CDC director. But squashing scientific facts and data, he said, is “chilling.”

The communications blackout began nearly two weeks ago, followed by a flurry of those memos from the HHS instructing federal agencies to stop any work involving DEI or gender ideologies and delete such messaging on their websites. Some websites have been restored, but it’s unclear whether they’ve been modified.

An NIH scientist said that as of Monday, teams were told they could resume closed-door meetings, but were still forbidden from talking to media or presenting data at conferences because those findings would be released to the public. The scientist was not authorized to speak publicly.