Parts of the CDC website have been altered and pages removed, raising alarm among scientists about missing data and potential biases. While some information has been restored, concerns remain about what has been changed and what data is still unavailable. The Trump administration's abrupt decision to pull down web pages, datasets, and selected information from federal health websites has cast a shadow of uncertainty over public health research and data accessibility.
While some information has been restored, scientists are still alarmed over the removal of data. It's not clear what has changed, and some pages remain offline.Parts of the website for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been altered and pages have been removed.
Some data is back but scientists remain concerned about what's still missing.Scientists and public health leaders are taking stock of the Trump administration's abrupt decision to pull down web pages, datasets and selected information from federal health websites., used by policymakers to track rates of infectious diseases such as HIV and STIs, disappeared but now is back. Pages that explained theA sense of foreboding hangs over the National Institutes of Health "Across the country, folks like me are trying to catalogue what is missing and what has changed in terms of what's back up," saysthat are no longer there. She's noticed how some pages have been scrubbed of certain words or categories of people. For example,on the CDC website that previously referred to"pregnant people" now refer to"pregnant women." But, she notes, researchers are systematically comparing archival data with the updated datasets that have been reposted online. Meanwhile, other pages — including a tool that assesses social factors that make communities vulnerable in the event of a disaster — remainIn response to a request for comment on the missing and altered content on its website, a CDC spokesperson wrote in an email:"All changes to the HHS website and HHS division websites are in accordance with President Trump's January 20 Executive Orders,. The Office of Personnel Management has provided initial guidance on both Executive Orders and HHS and divisions are acting accordingly to execute."up many resources on the CDC website, ranging from data on adolescent health and infectious disease to clinical guidelines on reproductive care and HIV., a senior scholar at Stanford University and former commissioner of the New York State Department of Health."We're actually dimming the lights on our ability to protect and preserve the health of all Americans." As news spread late last week, so did an internet-wide effort among scientists, journalists and concerned citizens to archive reams of data and web pages. Some of the clinical guidelines, like those on reproductive health, are, a data scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, helped organize a"datathon" to help preserve health data on Jan. 31. He says the efforts to preserve data started back in November 2024 but were not complete by Friday's purge. "These federal websites are gigantic, and result in terabytes of data," he says. While they've succeeded in preserving certain tools and datasets,"We're not sure yet to what extent we've captured all the webpages that have disappeared," he says."Both of these arguments may have some merit, but also seem mere initial 'shots across the bow' related to the larger legal issues at play," he wrote in an email to NPR. Hodge anticipates broader legal challenges regarding the constitutionality of President Trump's executive orders and the public's First Amendment rights to accessing governmental information, among others., have asked the acting CDC director, Susan Monarez, a Trump appointee, for an explanation of why the data was taken down and the plans to safeguard and restore access to it. The committee members requested a written response by February 7, according to a copy of the letter reviewed by NPR. So far, Shah says, they have not heard back yet., dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, says he was struck by the"haphazard" manner in which sites were scrubbed or pulled down.Halkitis now worries about the future of other critical databases maintained by the federal government, including the National Institutes of Health's"Those of us who do science with marginalized populations, we're going to have to piece it together from our own research somehow," says Halkitis, noting that he and his colleagues scrambled to download HIV data last week in anticipation that references to gender and race, both of which are key to understanding the epidemiology of the disease, might be removed.The loss of essential data on infectious disease outbreaks affects the American public, beyond certain populations that appear to be targeted, says"These data help us understand, as scientists and clinicians, where infectious diseases and outbreaks are, so even if you are not part of that group, it helps us keep you safe," he says. The lack of communication about this data and information gap also disrupts the relationship between the CDC and its partners, Shah says. "All of the work that happens between scientists, communities, the CDC and others takes decades to build up over trust, and trust is based on transparency. That trust has been violated," he says., a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania, points out this data belongs to taxpayers — and it's incumbent on the federal government to maintain its integrity. "The government should restore all the data that had been previously collected and make it available," says Elo, who is president of thethe changes made by the Trump administration. She describes the federal statistical system, which collects population-level census and health data, as"the only independent source of data that we have." "You cannot just replace it without having a huge influx of resources," she says, or without the expertise of statistical agencies that have collected and published these data for decades.
CDC DATA REMOVAL WEBSITE CHANGES PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump Administration Makes Quiet Changes to HHS Website on AbortionThe Trump administration has made several changes to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website, including updating search results for 'abortion' to older content from the first Trump administration and shutting down a Biden-era website on reproductive rights. These changes reflect the administration's quieter approach to abortion compared to previous Republican presidents.
Read more »
Trump Administration Makes Controversial Website Changes and News from Around the WorldThis news piece covers a range of current events, including the Trump administration's controversial decision to remove the Spanish-language version of the White House website, wildfires in Southern California, and legal proceedings against A$AP Rocky. It also delves into sports, health, and technology news, showcasing a diverse selection of topics.
Read more »
CDC Ordered to Scrub Website of Words Like ‘Transgender’ and ‘LGBT’A CDC employee spoke with Gizmodo about the 'unprecedented' changes.
Read more »
CDC Website Removes HIV Content Following Trump Diversity Policy ChangesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has taken down several HIV-related pages, including vital resources for healthcare providers, after federal agencies were instructed to adhere to a White House directive concerning the elimination of language related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Read more »
CDC Removes Content on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation from WebsiteThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began removing content related to gender identity and sexual orientation from its website, a move aligning with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his inauguration day. The executive order directed federal agencies to use 'clear and accurate language' recognizing biological sex distinctions. The CDC has not elaborated on the duration or extent of these removals.
Read more »
CDC cuts HIV, LGBTQ care info from website to comply with Trump's DEI orderPresident Trump ordered all mentions of DEI and “gender ideology” language to be scrubbed from federal government websites this week. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, reacts to Trump’s actions, the impacts they have within the military, and the new administration forcing out senior FBI and DOJ officials that were involved in the January 6 investigation.
Read more »