For most of a week now every national health agency, including the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health, have been under a Trump imposed complete gag order. They, and employees of them, are barred from any business/health related communications with any media, the public, or even state health agency partners.
They are barred from posting anything on their social media sites. They are barred from updating their websites. They are barred from issuing any health alerts. They are barred from publishing the results of research on everything, to include cancer research, slowing the pace of research into everything. They are barred from publishing routine data updates, such as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), that healthcare providers routinely use to track emerging trends. For the first time in over 60 years the MMWR has missed a publication date.
Just before the gag order the first known severe case of bird to human avian flu transmission was recorded, a disease the World Health Organization (that Trump just removed the United States from) is tracking closely for potential human crossover. If there have been more than that one case the Centers for Disease Control would not be able to inform the American public of it. That one case was from a man who handled sick birds in backyard flocks. The CDC right now is barred from issuing any guidance cautioning those who handle birds.
Right now the largest recorded outbreak of tuberculosis in the United States is occurring in Kansas. Haven’t heard about it? Well, the CDC certainly can’t tell you about it. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news...rgest-in-recorded-history-in-u-s/77881467007/
If there is an indication of a particular food contamination the public should be aware of, the Food & Drug Administration would not be able to so inform the public.
Did I mention research? The blackout includes purchasing anything, to include supplies, for ongoing research. Anonymous scientists at the National Institute for Health (NIH) already report being able to order test tubes, for basic research, and other common research supplies. https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/24/heal...ministration-pauses-communications/index.html
If this blackout continues much longer all government related health research will come to a halt. Does that sound like efficiently serving the public to you?
As for the duration of this gag order, I don't know. Right now it remains indefinite.
They are barred from posting anything on their social media sites. They are barred from updating their websites. They are barred from issuing any health alerts. They are barred from publishing the results of research on everything, to include cancer research, slowing the pace of research into everything. They are barred from publishing routine data updates, such as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), that healthcare providers routinely use to track emerging trends. For the first time in over 60 years the MMWR has missed a publication date.
Just before the gag order the first known severe case of bird to human avian flu transmission was recorded, a disease the World Health Organization (that Trump just removed the United States from) is tracking closely for potential human crossover. If there have been more than that one case the Centers for Disease Control would not be able to inform the American public of it. That one case was from a man who handled sick birds in backyard flocks. The CDC right now is barred from issuing any guidance cautioning those who handle birds.
Right now the largest recorded outbreak of tuberculosis in the United States is occurring in Kansas. Haven’t heard about it? Well, the CDC certainly can’t tell you about it. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news...rgest-in-recorded-history-in-u-s/77881467007/
If there is an indication of a particular food contamination the public should be aware of, the Food & Drug Administration would not be able to so inform the public.
Did I mention research? The blackout includes purchasing anything, to include supplies, for ongoing research. Anonymous scientists at the National Institute for Health (NIH) already report being able to order test tubes, for basic research, and other common research supplies. https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/24/heal...ministration-pauses-communications/index.html
If this blackout continues much longer all government related health research will come to a halt. Does that sound like efficiently serving the public to you?
As for the duration of this gag order, I don't know. Right now it remains indefinite.
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