Thanks to the Trump administration’s crackdown on “wasteful” government spending, less information on the bird flu and its continued impact of wildlife, cattle, poultry flocks and, in some cases, humans is going to be available. At least for the time being.
The CDC’s scientific reports have been swept up in an “immediate pause” on communications by federal health agencies ordered by Dorothy Fink, the acting secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to various media reports. Fink’s memo covers “any document intended for publication until it has been reviewed and approved by a presidential appointee.”
That’s concerning, former CDC officials said, because a firewall has long existed between the agency’s scientific reports and political appointees.
Neither the White House nor HHS officials responded to requests for comment. But CDC spokeswoman Melissa Dibble said, “This is a short pause to allow the new team to set up a process for review and prioritization.”