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Amid a barrage of executive actions, the Trump administration has ordered federal health agencies to take a pause. external communications, such as regular scientific reports, website updates and health advisories, according to sources within the agencies.
The first orders were delivered Tuesday to staff at agencies across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. United States, according to Washington Postwho was the first to report the story.
The instruction came without warning and with little guidance as to what exactly it covered, according to sources within the agencies involved who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to share the information. .
In a follow-up memo obtained by CNN on Wednesday, Acting Health Secretary Dr. Dorothy Fink provided additional details, including that the directive would be in effect until February 1.
The memo asked health agency employees to have all documents and communications – including regulations, guidelines, notices, social media, websites and press releases – reviewed and approved by an individual appointed by the president before publishing them. He also ordered employees not to participate in any public speaking without approval and to coordinate with presidential appointees before sending official correspondence to members of Congress or governors.
“As the new administration considers its plan for managing federal policy and public communications processes, it is important that the President’s appointees and designees have the opportunity to review and approve all regulations, documents guidance and other public documents and communications (including social media). ),” Fink said in the memo.
The directive also asks employees to notify their superiors of any documents or communications that should be exempt, either because they are required by law or because they are essential for health, safety or other reasons . Already on Wednesday morning, the FDA sent a communication about a safety warning added to the multiple sclerosis drug glatiramer acetate, which has brand names such as Copaxone, for a “rare but serious allergic reaction.”
A source familiar with the directive said that while it was not entirely uncommon for a new administration to request a pause to review information before it was made public, the scope of the order seemed unusual. Another said there were no similar restrictions on communications issued at the start of the last two administrations and said employees feared for their jobs.
U.S. health agencies, including the CDC, FDA, and NIH, regularly release information on food recalls, drug and medical device approvals, and updates on evolving threats to health. public health, including natural disasters and infectious diseases. Many agencies have been closely monitoring and reporting new information on the H5N1 avian flu outbreak, which is spreading among the nation’s poultry flocks and dairy cattle and among people who work with these animals.
“Not a day goes by without the CDC monitoring a potential threat to our health. » Dr. Richard Besserpresident and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC, said in a statement. “Right now they are telling us about bird flu in cows, birds and humans. Every time there is an outbreak involving a food, they tell us how to avoid getting sick. 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 officials in our communities from doing their jobs. I urge the administration to quickly lift the pause.
Under the first Trump administration, a federal health official said policymakers have pushed to change the language of weekly scientific reports released by the CDC during the Covid-19 pandemic so that they do not undermine the president’s political message.
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The first heading Tuesday was given by Stefanie Spear, HHS deputy chief of staff who joined the agency this week, according to the Post. Spear was Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s press secretary during his 2024 presidential campaign. Kennedy is Trump’s choice for HHS secretary, but must be confirmed by the Senate before taking on the role.
A message sent to Spear Tuesday evening about the order was not received. came back. CNN has contacted the White House for comment.
A CDC spokesperson and an FDA spokesperson referred CNN to HHS for comment. HHS did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
“A temporary pause in the flow of health information should not be cause for concern,” said Dr. Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, a nonprofit organization that studies and seeks to support the public health personnel in the country.
“The question is, to what extent is this pause enforced? If there is something that requires immediate action, it must be communicated because time running out means lives lost.
CNN’s Nick Valencia and Kristen Holmes contributed reporting.