Federal judge orders Trump admin to restore public health web pages
A federal judge has issued a ruling compelling the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restore web pages and datasets that were removed in compliance with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.
U.S. District Judge John Bates’ decision requires the reinstatement of data sets and pages that were either removed or significantly altered last month without proper notification or justification. The lawsuit was filed by Doctors for America, represented by Public Citizen Litigation Group, against the Office of Personal Management (OPM), CDC, FDA, and HHS for eliminating crucial information used by healthcare professionals and researchers.
Dr. Reshma Ramachandran, a member of the board of directors for Doctors for America, emphasized the importance of restoring the removed resources to safeguard patient health and advance public health research. Zach Shelley, lead counsel on the case and an attorney at Public Citizen Litigation Group, stressed the responsibility of federal agencies to protect public health by maintaining access to vital information.
The lawsuit alleged that the removal of web pages and data sets created a dangerous gap in scientific data essential for monitoring and responding to disease outbreaks. Among the pages and reports taken down or modified were those concerning HIV medication, environmental justice, HIV monitoring and testing, and a CDC guide on contraceptives. Doctors for America claimed that these actions were taken to combat what President Trump referred to as ‘gender ideology.’
President Trump’s executive order on ‘Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government’ guided the removal of the web pages in question. The order defined specific terms related to gender and reinforced the recognition of two genders as official U.S. policy.
The erasure of sex in language and policy, as stated in the executive order, was deemed to have a detrimental impact on the American system. The order emphasized the importance of basing federal policy on truth to uphold scientific inquiry, public safety, morale, and trust in government.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge John Bates serves as a pivotal step towards reinstating critical information and resources that play a significant role in advancing public health and medical research. This decision underscores the importance of ensuring access to essential data for healthcare professionals, researchers, and the general public.
