Warnings and Communications Paused for U.S. Health Agencies Until Feb. 1

Gag order includes all public communications from federal agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services.

Federal health officials have paused all public communications, following a new directive issued by the Trump administration this week.

The gag order calls for any outgoing communication to stop until February 1, including public reports, Federal Register announcements, advisory panel meetings and social media posts. The directive was issued on January 21, one day after President Trump was sworn into office.

The new administration’s order includes all agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.

The order prohibits the release of any public communication until a presidential appointee has reviewed it. This includes the CDC’s weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report’s latest issue, focused on the worsening bird flu crisis. It is the first time in 60 years that the public health report has not gone out as scheduled.

The pause includes regulations, guidance documents, public documents, announcements to the Federal Register, communications, notices, grant announcements, news releases, speaking engagements, official correspondence with public officials, updates to websites, messages to email groups and social media posts.

Outside advisory panels received emails indicating panel meetings and scientific meetings were canceled, including a two-day meeting on antibiotic resistance. Notices sent by the Biden administration during its final week were also canceled and employees were told not to participate in any speaking engagements.

The directive was announced via an internal memo issued by the acting director of the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

Implications of the Communications Freeze

While it is common for new administrations to temporarily centralize control over government communications, this move has raised concerns about its potential impact on public health and safety. Scheduled updates that are critical for health departments, medical professionals, hospitals and emergency responders are currently suspended.

For example, the CDC report slated for this week included details on the H5N1 bird flu virus that has infected 67 people and led to the first human death in December. The virus has continued to expand, affecting 35 million wild and commercial bird populations and has led to skyrocketing egg prices.

The effect of this communications freeze on public health remains uncertain, as does whether the suspension will be extended beyond the initial deadline of February 1.