CDC Infection Control Panel Disbanded by Trump Administration

The Trump administration has disbanded the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC), a CDC panel that issued 540 infection control recommendations, 90% of which are used in U.S. healthcare facilities. The termination took effect March 31 and followed an executive order to reduce the federal workforce, with members notified weeks after the fact. The closure has raised alarm among public health experts and professional societies, who warn that freezing the guidelines leaves hospitals vulnerable to new threats, including drug-resistant organisms, airborne pathogens, tuberculosis, and rising pediatric flu deaths. Some groups previously criticized HICPAC, but now caution that its dissolution eliminates transparency and public input into infection control standards. The CDC has archived HICPAC’s resources online, but no immediate federal response has been given regarding the decision. Hospitals will continue to use existing guidelines, but they will not reflect future scientific advances.