CDC faces backlash for removing key public health data from its website

The CDC is under fire after abruptly removing crucial health data from its website, with top advisers demanding answers on why the information disappeared and when it will return.

Usha Lee McFarling reports for STAT.

In short:

• The CDC removed data on gender, vaccines, climate change, HIV and long COVID, citing compliance with Trump administration executive orders, sparking outrage among public health experts.
• A CDC advisory board sent a letter demanding explanations from acting director Susan Monarez, warning of "dire consequences" if the data isn’t restored.
• Some pages, like the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, have been reinstated, but concerns persist about transparency and the politicization of public health information.

Key quote:

“It’s more than a data set, it’s years and years of collecting data, analyzing data and putting it into a format that communities can use, literally, to extend their lives.”

— Daniel Dawes, health policy expert

Why this matters:

This isn’t just about missing web pages; it’s about trust. Public health relies on transparency. Without access to reliable data, doctors can’t make informed decisions, scientists can’t track trends and advocates are left fighting in the dark.

Read more:

• Trump’s science freeze leaves researchers in limbo
• April Ballard on the importance of empathy in public health research