Removal of CDC Webpages on Gender and Health Equity Raises Concerns

CNBC has learned that the CDC has recently deleted over a dozen of its online pages covering issues such as sexual orientation, gender identity, and health equity.

An internal communication from the CDC, reported by CNBC, reveals that they were instructed by the Department of Health and Human Services to remove the specified pages by the conclusion of September 19.

Among the deleted resources was information on sexually transmitted diseases affecting gay men, data on health equity for individuals with disabilities, and several fact sheets addressing asexuality and bisexuality. Advocates for health equity argue that taking away these resources could lead to significant gaps in critical health knowledge for marginalized communities and hinder the movement towards inclusive healthcare.

According to LGBTQ+ health equity supporters, the disappearance of such vital materials from established government platforms could pose a danger to patient and public health.

Resources on gender identity being removed does not eliminate their necessity; instead, it diminishes trust, induces confusion, and increases risks for patients, stated a spokesperson from an LGBTQ+ advocacy group. They highlighted the need for accurate and inclusive information for healthcare providers and communities alike to ensure safe and effective health services.

The email lacked clarity on the rationale behind the decision by HHS to target these specific topics for removal. However, the Trump administration has historically targeted policies affecting transgender and nonbinary individuals and cut efforts aimed at enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

There has been no immediate response to requests for comment from the Department of Health and Human Services on this matter.

This incident is not isolated, as federal websites have previously been stripped of health-related content. Various federal agency websites, including those of the CDC and FDA, had pages taken down starting January under an executive order that restricted references to gender identity in federal policies and documentation.

A legal ruling in February required the restoration of these pages while the dispute continues in court. By July, the government was judged to have unlawfully ordered this mass removal and was instructed to review and reinstate affected content.

The Trump administration recently reported most pages have been reinstated, with just a few remaining under examination. The extent of compliance with the court order as of September 19 remains unclear.

Further Developments in Health Information Access

While not all targeted pages have been restored, it is unclear why additional pages were removed on the date of the court ruling.

A spreadsheet provided through the CDC’s internal email specified pages offline as of mid-September. Another revision listed an extra site that no longer appears accessible online.

Verification by CNBC confirmed the inaccessibility of these pages, with archival data indicating some pages were active until earlier in September without a clear timeline for full removal by the CDC.

Interestingly, some pages remain online, including ongoing surveillance data on respiratory syncytial virus hospitalizations, showing selective retention of site content.