Leading physician groups: Restoring online CDC, NIH data ‘a public health imperative’

Last week, on Friday January 31, 2025, several federal government websites dedicated to public health removed entire webpages relating to gender, gender identity, sexual health, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV and vaccine information statements, in addition to entire public health surveys and databases. According to The New York Times, at one point more than 8,000 webpages were removed.

These actions — which many have called “purges” — were in compliance with a Friday deadline by the Trump administration to end any programs promoting “gender ideology,” which were outlined in two executive orders signed by President Trump on his first day in office. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) were among the most impacted by the purges.

The executive orders — “Ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing” and “Defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government” — terminated any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts by the federal government and ended government efforts to be inclusive of gender expressions, including in research.

In response to severe backlash from health officials and the public, the CDC restored some of the purged webpages over the weekend, although many critical resources are still unavailable. The site now features a banner that reads, "CDC’s website is being modified to comply with President Trump’s Executive Orders."

‘Undue burdens’ on physicians, endangering patients

In a joint statement, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American College of Physicians (ACP), American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and American Psychiatric Association (APA) condemned the removal of public health information.

“The removal of datasets and guidance from the [CDC] and [NIH] websites to comply with the President’s recent executive order puts the health and wellbeing of patients at risk and makes it more difficult for physicians to provide quality care.”

The statement continued, stressing the clinical significance of the data and resources on these websites, which are relied on by more than 600,000 physicians represented by the organizations for the latest recommendations on infectious disease management, public health threats, preventive care and management of chronic conditions.

“These resources are not just academic references — they are vital for real-time clinical decision-making in hospitals, clinics and emergency departments across the country.”

Ultimately, the joint-statement encouraged Congress to ensure the full restoration of online public health resources.

“We urge Congress to ensure that the CDC, NIH and other public health agencies have the resources and ability to provide physicians and the public with the information they need to support the health and mental health of every person seeking health care in the U.S.,” the groups wrote, adding that federal health agency officials should once again be able to communicate freely with the public, amidst the ongoing communications freeze.