Statement on Federal Cuts Threatening America’s Public Health Infrastructure
The National Medical Association is deeply alarmed by reports of reductions in force across key federal agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services during the ongoing government shutdown. The dismissal of public health professionals at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) may represent an escalation in efforts to weaken the nation’s health and research infrastructure, using the shutdown as an excuse.
These agencies are not partisan institutions; they are the backbone of America’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to disease. From cancer research to vaccine development, from chronic disease prevention to emergency response, the CDC and NIH safeguard the health of millions. Undermining them in the midst of a shutdown by terminating experts and freezing essential funding risks irreparable harm to the systems that protect every American community.
The National Medical Association is deeply alarmed by reports of reductions in force across key federal agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services during the ongoing government shutdown. The dismissal of public health professionals at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) may represent an escalation in efforts to weaken the nation’s health and research infrastructure, using the shutdown as an excuse.
These agencies are not partisan institutions; they are the backbone of America’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to disease. From cancer research to vaccine development, from chronic disease prevention to emergency response, the CDC and NIH safeguard the health of millions. Undermining them in the midst of a shutdown by terminating experts and freezing essential funding risks irreparable harm to the systems that protect every American community.
These actions send a chilling message to the scientific and public health workforce and will further hobble the country’s capacity to address ongoing and future health crises.
At a time when the nation faces growing threats from infectious disease, chronic illness, and health inequity, further weakening the CDC and NIH is not leadership; it is a direct threat to public safety. The NMA urges Congress and the Administration to end the shutdown, restore stability across the federal workforce, and recommit to a strong, well-resourced public health system. The health and security of the American people depend on it.
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About the National Medical Association:
The NMA is the nation’s oldest and largest organization representing Black physicians and health professionals in the U.S. and promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African descent. We serve as the voice of Black physicians and a leading voice for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health. To learn more about the NMA, please visit https://www.nmanet.org/.
