Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
3d ago

Trump Administration Disbands Key CDC Infection Control Advisory Committee

The committee's closure halts updates to critical healthcare guidelines, raising concerns about patient safety and preparedness for emerging threats.

People protesting personnel cuts at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) hold signs outside the organization's main headquarters on March 12, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Image

Overview

  • The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC), responsible for decades of infection control guidelines, was officially disbanded on March 31 under President Trump's federal workforce reduction order.
  • HICPAC had issued 540 recommendations since its inception, with 90% implemented by the CDC, shaping national standards for infection prevention in healthcare settings.
  • The move freezes updates to guidelines, including pending revisions for airborne pathogen protocols informed by lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Healthcare experts and professional societies have criticized the decision, warning it jeopardizes patient safety and transparency in infection control practices.
  • HICPAC's web pages have been archived and will no longer be updated, leaving healthcare providers without an evolving framework for addressing emerging infectious threats.