CDC points fewer well being alerts throughout second Trump time period : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F02%2F5d%2F865333b544018a860338c91b91a3%2Fgettyimages-2259640690.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F02%2F5d%2F865333b544018a860338c91b91a3%2Fgettyimages-2259640690.jpg" class="img" alt=" South Carolina State Rep. Rosalyn Henderson-Myers (D-Spartanburg) stands outside a mobile clinic offering free measles vaccinations on February 6, 2026 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. " fetchpriority="high"/> South Carolina State Rep. Rosalyn Henderson-Myers (D-Spartanburg) stands outdoors a cell clinic providing free measles vaccinations on Friday in Spartanburg, S.C. The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention hasn't issued a well being alert associated to the measles outbreak there. Sean Rayford/Getty Pictures conceal caption

toggle caption

Sean Rayford/Getty Pictures The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention has been alerting the nation about well being threats a lot much less continuously since President Trump returned to workplace, elevating considerations amongst docs and public well being authorities.

The CDC issued simply six alerts from the company's Well being Alert Community in 2025. The variety of these HANs, because the alerts are recognized, varies from 12 months to 12 months. However the company sometimes points many extra – typically dozens.

"We're completely flying blind," says Dr. Georges Benjamin, govt director of the American Public Well being Affiliation. "We're blind to an entire vary of well being dangers which can be coming into our group or re-emerging in our group."

The drop in alerts leaves docs, hospitals and well being departments much less ready and extra weak to getting blindsided, Benjamin and others say.

"HANs are a very necessary instrument," says Lauren Sauer, affiliate director of the World Heart for Well being Safety on the College of Nebraska. "They inform clinicians: Here is what you should take into consideration as you are screening sufferers, or illnesses that you just may not expect to see, strolling by way of your emergency division. Clinicians want instruments like that to say, 'Take note of this particular factor proper now.' "

Previous alerts have sounded the alarm about all kinds of threats, together with Ebola, chicken flu and the coronavirus pandemic.

"It is our early-warning system," Benjamin says. "It is the weatherman of public well being. It provides us monumental situational consciousness."

Past alerting docs, nurses and different medical suppliers, the advisories additionally spur hospitals to replenish on the precise drugs and provides and ensure they're adequately staffed. The alerts additionally prime well being departments to be looking out for uncommon illness clusters.

"It is one other pillar of preparedness and response," says Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, who runs Boston College's Heart on Rising Illnesses.

The CDC did not situation a HAN about this season's flu, regardless that a mutated pressure emerged to drive what seems to be like one of many worst in years. The company hasn't despatched a HAN about measles since March regardless that the present outbreak in South Carolina is without doubt one of the worst in a long time and the nation could also be on the verge of dropping its measles elimination standing. CDC by no means issued a HAN about latest outbreaks of whooping cough.

"The silence is deafening," Benjamin says.

Critics like Benjamin say the trickle of HANs is indicative of the muzzling of the CDC. The company has additionally been publishing fewer experiences in its flagship publication the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, canceled a marketing campaign to encourage flu vaccination, paused updating vital databases and infrequently briefs reporters.

"Sadly, I believe that is very emblematic of a decline within the communications, each within the quantity in addition to the standard," says Dr. Debra Houry, who resigned because the CDC's chief medical officer in August due to the Trump administration's insurance policies.

She says the company has been hollowed out by mass firings and is now managed by political appointees as a substitute of scientists.

The CDC didn't reply to NPR's questions concerning the variety of HANs. In an electronic mail to NPR, Andrew Nixon, a spokesman on the Well being and Human Providers Division, which oversees CDC, referred to as claims the company had pulled again "false."

"CDC continues to alert the general public about pressing public well being incidents and works intently with federal, state, territorial, tribal and native companions to develop response protocols and keep robust stakeholder relationships," Nixon wrote.

Nonetheless, outdoors organizations are attempting to fill the void.

"One of many silver linings is that there are different fashions being tried. For instance, we're seeing plenty of regional consortiums the place states are getting collectively to see what they will do for public well being," says Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins College who has began a e-newsletter referred to as FOI Medical. "There's an urge for food for extra related and extra higher-volume communication."