Public health firings will cost lives, leave America vulnerable

The unprecedented mass firing of more than 1,100 federal employees, and then rehiring of some, at the Department and Health and Human Services was a completely reckless act that may compromise the health of all Americans. The initial targeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s core functions and scientific leadership will cripple the agency that keeps our country safe by monitoring and preventing disease and saving lives in every community across the country.  

Uncertainty around which staff have been fired or rehired leaves health professionals and the public in a state of complete confusion about which longstanding public health services they can rely upon. For nearly eight decades, CDC has worked around the clock to protect Americans from a growing range of health threats from rabies to food safety to Ebola. The agency’s support of state and local health departments and health care professionals is the backbone of our nation’s public health response.  

Even prior to the latest round of layoffs, clinicians across the country reported dangerous interruptions in access to services including laboratory testing, public reporting and expert analyses of outbreak data and publication of clinical guidelines, all of which directly impact patient care. Additional layoffs will further erode CDC’s ability to perform essential duties and put our country’s health at risk. 

If the gutting of our public health infrastructure and workforce is allowed to continue, Americans will be sicker, health care costs will rise and many more people will die from preventable illnesses. We call for the reversal of these dangerous firings, and for Congress to move quickly to pass full-year spending bills that ensure that proposed cuts to public health are averted and federal appropriations are spent as Congress intended for the health and security of our nation.  

Tina Tan, MD, FIDSA, FPIDS, FAAP 

President, Infectious Diseases Society of America  

Colleen Kelley, MD, MPH, FIDSA 

Chair, HIV Medicine Association  

William J. Steinbach, MD, FPIDS 
President, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society 

David J. Weber, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FSHEA, FRSM 
President, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 

About IDSA and HIVMA 

The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a global community of 13,000 clinicians, scientists and public health experts working together to solve humanity’s smallest and greatest challenges, from tiny microbes to global outbreaks. Rooted in science, committed to health equity and driven by curiosity, our compassionate and knowledgeable members safeguard the health of individuals, our communities and the world by advancing the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Within IDSA, the HIV Medicine Association is a community of health care professionals who advance a comprehensive and humane response to the HIV pandemic, informed by science and social justice. Visit idsociety.org and hivma.org to learn more. 

About PIDS 

PIDS membership encompasses leaders across the global scientific and public health spectrum, including clinical care, advocacy, academics, government, and the pharmaceutical industry. From fellowship training to continuing medical education, research, regulatory issues and guideline development, PIDS members are the core professionals advocating for the improved health of children with infectious diseases both nationally and around the world, participating in critical public health and medical professional advisory committees that determine the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, immunization practices in children, and the education of pediatricians. For more information, visit pids.org. 

About SHEA 

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America works to advance the science and practice of healthcare epidemiology and infection prevention. Founded in 1980, SHEA promotes education, research, and advocacy to improve patient care and safety. For more information, visit shea-online.org.