Pennsylvania Medical Society Addresses Patient Care Concerns Amid HHS Communication Directives

Last Updated: Feb 6, 2025

The Pennsylvania Medical Society stands as a staunch advocate for the use of science and data to ensure physicians’ have the best information available to treat patients and provide the highest quality of care within the Commonwealth. The recent directive requiring Presidential appointee approval of communications from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services agencies—including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — could significantly hamper the dissemination of crucial information.

This disruption affects case reports on infectious disease outbreaks, epidemiologic studies, and CDC Health Alert Network advisories, all of which are vital for informing clinicians and public health officials about urgent public health issues. While recognizing that access to some communications has been restored, PAMED urges further restoration of these essential communications to safeguard the health and well-being of our communities and ensure that our health care professionals have the information they need to provide the best possible care.