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The Trump administration has paused external communications and public appearances from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) until February 1, requiring all federal health agencies to get approval from a presidential appointee before issuing any guidance, regulation notices, or grant announcements.
The pause affects 13 HHS divisions, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), halting public communications like health advisories and reports, except for critical health and safety matters.
Trump also signed an executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO), citing issues like COVID-19 mishandling and failure to adopt urgently needed reforms. This move, effective January 2026, would cut CDC access to global data.
Public messaging pauses are typical during new administration setups. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated by President Trump to lead the HHS, faces his confirmation hearing on January 29.
Concerns arise from consumer groups and health officials about the communication freeze, as Americans rely on timely updates from agencies like the FDA and CDC. Reports on seasonal flu and bird flu are delayed, impacting health insurers who depend on this data. Communications are expected to resume within two weeks. Download the bulletin for more details.