Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cut funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s laboratories investigating outbreaks of sexually transmitted diseases and hepatitis, disrupting ongoing work to respond to outbreaks.
The decision, part of a 10,000-layoff package, affects labs handling testing for rare forms of STDs and hepatitis, which only the CDC can do. The agency also provides critical technical guidance and supports state and local health departments in investigating outbreaks.
Lab staff were informed of the cuts this week but had no time to properly shut down their work before being locked out of their email systems and facilities. Specimens continue to arrive, with no one on hand to process them or communicate with state and local health departments about test results.
The CDC’s STD testing lab processes around 12,000 samples annually, which would be wasted if tests are stopped altogether due to the shutdown. The lab’s closure also disrupts molecular epidemiology, making it harder to track outbreaks and study changes in viruses and bacteria.
Many public health labs rely on the CDC as a reference laboratory for key supplies and technical guidance, leaving them without essential resources. The agency had planned updates to its guidance on testing for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea before the staff were laid off.
The shutdown of these labs has caused delays and disruptions in outbreak response, with scientists expressing surprise at being laid off so abruptly. The CDC’s remaining leaders are working to address the issue, but the agency faces significant challenges in returning to its core mission of responding to epidemics and outbreaks.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-cdc-labs-stds-hepatitis