
Trump’s Health Agencies Silenced as Bird Flu Escalates In AZ
It's hard to keep track of all the changes coming out of the new Trump administration.
Whether or not you support the executive orders and the blistering pace of their implementation, a few items have even the most ardent proponents scratching their heads.
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How Will the HHS "Immediate Pause" Affect Arizona?
The Trump administration has put an "immediate pause" on all health reports and social media posts from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The news blackout is effective through at least the end of January, so as I write this, just about a week.
This won't just affect HHS and Arizona; there will be ripple effects across the scientific community as the agencies charged with protecting public health try to manage the bird flu outbreak across the state.

This so-called pause isn't just affecting national Health and Human Services, AP News reports. The Trump administration ordered an immediate pause on public communications from federal health agencies like the CDC, FDA, and the NIH.
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According to the president's office, the goal is to "allow the new administration to align with these agencies and set up a process for reviewing and prioritizing communications."
Other Agencies Affected by the President's Blackout
Health and Human Services isn't the only agency being affected by this 'pause.'
All external communications from federal health agencies are affected and that includes information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which are also being ordered to temporarily halt updates, press releases, and social media posts related to public health issues.
These federal agencies could be granted an exception, but only if they get approval from a presidential appointee. The pause also impacts scientific meetings and panels, which are canceled or postponed.
Will the Information Pause Impact Arizona?
Pausing information across these federal agencies isn't entirely unusual; most new administrations request a hold on regulations, guidance, announcements, press releases, social media posts, and website updates so they can review and approve communications before they are released to the public.
The scope of this administration's request to pause information is broader than usual, and the blackout could lead to problems for Arizona's scientific community as it fights bird flu, measles, and other illnesses.
Sources: HHS.gov | AP News | CNN
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