Acting HHS Secretary Dr. Dorothy Fink Orders Temporary Halt on CDC and Health Communications for Trump Team Review.
On Tuesday, Dr. Dorothy Fink, Acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), sent out a memo directing leaders of all federal health agencies to temporarily stop public communications for review by the Trump administration.
NBC News obtained a copy of the memo, which instructs heads of agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to hold off on issuing any documents, including regulations and press releases, until they’ve been reviewed and approved by a presidential appointee.
The pause took effect immediately and will last until February 1.
The memo does allow for the release of critical health and safety communications, if necessary.
Federal health communications teams, including those from the CDC and HHS, were informed of the pause during a call on Tuesday.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty right now as the transition unfolds,” one CDC official commented, adding that this type of temporary halt isn’t unusual during leadership transitions.
An HHS official confirmed that similar pauses occurred during Trump’s first term as well.
While brief pauses in messaging are common when a new administration takes over, the HHS official noted that it could become concerning if the pause extends for a week or more. “We’re waiting for the new team to come in and provide guidance,” the official said, “but so far, there’s been little direction.”
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