CDC Pulls Plug On Infection Oversight Team
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially disbanded its Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, a group that had provided expert input on infection prevention and control measures.
According to a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the CDC, the decision was made in alignment with a previous executive order issued by former President Donald Trump. That directive called for federal agencies to identify and eliminate advisory groups deemed no longer necessary.
Despite the dissolution of the committee, the HHS spokesperson emphasized the CDC’s ongoing dedication to upholding strong infection control standards and its commitment to partnering with healthcare professionals to protect public health. The White House did not respond to further inquiries regarding the decision.
The advisory committee’s webpage has since been removed from the CDC’s website, although archived records show the group was responsible for offering guidance on preventing the spread of infections, tackling antimicrobial resistance, and improving infection control protocols in healthcare environments.
The committee had been actively advising the CDC on updates to several critical policies, including protocols for using masks and other forms of isolation to prevent disease transmission.
Dr. David Weber, a committee member and current president of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, expressed concern about the termination, stating that while the group did not set policy, its insights were invaluable in shaping guidelines that are practical and effective in clinical settings.
In response to the decision, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America released a joint statement urging the federal government to reinstate the panel. They warned that eliminating this expert group could jeopardize national preparedness, especially as new infectious threats and drug-resistant pathogens continue to emerge.
They further cautioned that the absence of timely, expert-driven recommendations could create uncertainty in healthcare facilities and potentially compromise patient safety.
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