Trump administration has shut down CDC's infection control committee
The Trump administration has terminated a federal advisory committee that issued guidance about preventing the spread of infections in health care facilities.
The Trump administration has terminated a federal advisory committee that issued guidance about preventing the spread of infections in health care facilities.
The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) crafted national standards for hand-washing, mask-wearing and isolating sick patients that most U.S. hospitals follow.
Four committee members said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention delivered the news about HICPAC’s termination to members Friday.
A letter reviewed by NBC News — which members said the CDC sent out after a virtual meeting — says the termination took effect more than a month previously, on March 31. According to the letter, the termination aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive order calling for a reduction of the federal workforce.
Four professional societies previously asked Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a letter on March 26 to preserve the committee amid widespread cuts to federal health agencies. The CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
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