The Trump administration is making major changes to the US public health system. Key health reports have stopped, critical medical resources have been removed, and officials are staying silent on disease outbreaks. These shifts could have lasting effects on public health and safety.
Shortly after taking office, the Trump administration paused all communications from the Department of Health and Human Services. This included the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
For the first time in 60 years, this report—which first documented the AIDS crisis—missed two issues. Experts say this silence disrupts disease tracking and response.
“MMWR is vital for understanding health trends,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University. She called the pause a “radical departure” from public health norms.
Meanwhile, CDC scientists must now revise research papers to remove terms deemed controversial, such as “gender.” Experts warn this could harm health efforts targeting at-risk groups, like transgender individuals and men who have sex with men.
Doctors have lost access to key CDC resources, including:
- A birth control app that advised on safe contraceptives based on medical history.
- Guidelines for HIV prevention using PrEP.
- Resources on LGBTQ behavioral health and intimate partner violence.
- STI treatment guidance, which was temporarily removed.
“I don’t see how treating gonorrhea is political,” said Dr. Natalie DiCenzo, an obstetrician-gynecologist. Some pages have returned but now include disclaimers about Trump’s executive orders.
Jessica Valenti, founder of the Abortion, Every Day newsletter, has been archiving deleted CDC materials on a site called CDCguidelines.com. She warns that even restored pages may have terms like “trans” removed.
“Erasing data on specific groups erases them from health policy,” said virologist Angela Rasmussen. “This will cause suffering and death.”
With federal health communications restricted, disease outbreaks are flying under the radar. In Kansas City, Kansas, the largest tuberculosis outbreak in modern US history is spreading. There are 67 active cases, yet no national health agency has reported on it.
The National Medical Association (NMA), which represents African American physicians, is calling for an end to the communications freeze. They warn that silence could worsen outbreaks.
Public health experts, like Caitlin Rivers from Johns Hopkins University, are filling the gap. Rivers now shares outbreak updates in a personal newsletter, using CDC flu data.
Trump’s public health policies are reshaping disease tracking, medical guidance, and health equity. Experts fear these changes could lead to missed outbreaks and reduced healthcare access for vulnerable populations. As policies continue to shift, the future of US public health remains uncertain.
