The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed large amounts of information on HIV, LGBTQ+ health, and gender identity from its website following a directive from President Donald Trump’s administration.
The data purge, which took place late Friday, comes as federal agencies rush to comply with an executive order requiring the U.S. government to recognise only two sexes—male and female. The CDC’s public health data directory was also taken offline, with a message stating that it would return after meeting compliance requirements.
“The removal of HIV- and LGBTQ-related resources from the websites of the CDC and other health agencies is deeply concerning and creates a dangerous gap in scientific information and data to monitor and respond to disease outbreaks,” said Colleen Kelley, chair of the HIV Medicine Association, and Tina Tan, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, in a joint statement.
Among the resources taken down were the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which tracks student health behaviours, and the Social Vulnerability Index, which assesses the impact of health crises on vulnerable populations.
A CDC official, speaking anonymously, said the agency’s HIV prevention pages had been removed in an effort to comply with the Trump administration’s stance on gender identity. "There’s just so much gender content in HIV that we have to take everything down in order to meet the deadline," the official said.
Public health experts have warned that the removal of this information could undermine HIV prevention efforts, particularly among Black, Latino, and transgender communities, which are disproportionately affected by the virus.
Trump’s executive order, signed last week, seeks to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes across federal agencies. It also requires government departments to use the term “sex” instead of “gender” and removes funding for initiatives that address health disparities based on identity.
The CDC has not provided a timeline for when, or if, the removed content will be restored. The White House and CDC officials did not respond to requests for comment.
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