Trump stops updates from CDC, FDA & others. Here’s where to go in NC for health info
One of the many executive orders President Donald Trump signed after his inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, requires all federal health agencies to pause external communications.
Agencies affected include the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health, the Washington Post reported.
The move requires health agencies to have all external communications approved by a presidential appointee before issuing them and is expected to last through the end of January, CNN reported.
Here’s how the pause will affect North Carolina and alternative resources you can use for health information.
How will the pause affect people in NC?
The communications pause means a delay in crucial information from federal agencies, such as food recalls, drug approvals, and updates on public health threats, CNN reported.
For example, any urgent messages regarding H5N1 bird flu, which is spreading to people in the U.S., would be delayed. There have been 67 human cases reported in the U.S., according to the CDC.
The move also means meetings with state and local health officials, training sessions and grant reviews are now on hold, The Guardian reported.
The NIH already canceled a number of scientific meetings, but it’s not clear if the cancellations are related to the President’s directive, WUNC reported.
Where to go for health info
You can use the following state and local agencies for health info while communications from federal health agencies are paused:
N.C. Department of Health and Human Services: ncdhhs.gov
Mecklenburg County Public Health: health.mecknc.gov
Wake County Public Health and Medical Services: wake.gov/departments-government/health-human-services/public-health-and-medical-services
Durham County Public Health: dcopublichealth.org
Johnston County Public Health: johnstonnc.gov/health
Orange County Health Department: orangecountync.gov/204/Health-Department
Chatham County Public Health: chathamcountync.gov/government/departments-programs-i-z/public-health
This story was originally published January 24, 2025 at 1:03 PM with the headline "Trump stops updates from CDC, FDA & others. Here’s where to go in NC for health info."
