CDC Health Alerts Drop, Raising Concerns About US Public Health Security

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has significantly reduced the frequency of its public health alerts, raising concerns among physicians and public health officials that the nation is being left vulnerable to emerging health threats. While the number of alerts fluctuates year to year, the agency issued only six Health Alert Network (HAN) notices in 2025, a stark decrease from the dozens typically released in previous years.

These alerts, categorized as Health Alerts or Health Advisories depending on the severity and urgency of the situation, serve as a critical early-warning system for clinicians, hospitals, and public health departments. They provide vital information about potential outbreaks, emerging diseases, and other health risks, enabling healthcare professionals to prepare and respond effectively. As Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, stated, “We’re absolutely flying blind. We’re blind to a whole range of health risks that are entering our community or re-emerging in our community.”

The HAN system, which reaches over one million recipients, is designed to rapidly disseminate crucial health information. Health Alerts convey the highest level of importance, while Health Advisories provide important, but less immediate, updates. The recent decline in these alerts has left many in the medical community feeling unprepared. Lauren Sauer, associate director of the Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska, explained the importance of these notifications: “They tell clinicians: Here’s what you need to think about as you’re screening patients, or diseases that you might not be expecting to see, walking through your emergency department. Clinicians need tools like that to say, ‘Pay attention to this specific thing right now.’ ”

Historically, HANs have been instrumental in alerting the public and medical professionals to a wide range of public health emergencies, including Ebola, bird flu, and the coronavirus pandemic. Beyond simply informing healthcare providers, these alerts also prompt hospitals to ensure adequate supplies of medications and equipment, and enable health departments to proactively monitor for unusual disease clusters. As Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, who runs Boston University’s Center on Emerging Diseases, noted, “It’s another pillar of preparedness and response.”

The reduction in alerts comes amidst broader concerns about the CDC’s operations and communications under the current administration. The agency has also decreased the frequency of publications in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a key source of public health data, and has reportedly canceled campaigns aimed at promoting preventative health measures, such as flu vaccination. Updates to critical surveillance databases have been paused or delayed, creating gaps in our understanding of disease trends.

Recent outbreaks of measles, whooping cough, salmonella, listeria, and hepatitis A and C have occurred without corresponding HAN alerts. Notably, the CDC did not issue a HAN regarding the current measles outbreak in South Carolina, despite it being one of the worst in decades and potentially threatening the nation’s measles elimination status. Similarly, no alert was issued concerning a mutated strain of influenza that contributed to what is being described as one of the worst flu seasons in recent memory.

Critics suggest that the decrease in communication is a result of the CDC being “muzzled” and controlled by political appointees rather than scientists. Debra Houry, former chief medical officer at the CDC, resigned in August citing concerns about the administration’s policies and the agency’s diminished capacity. She described the CDC as having been “hollowed out” by mass firings.

While the CDC has not directly addressed the concerns regarding the reduced number of HANs, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, dismissed claims of a pullback in communication as “false.” The spokesperson stated that the CDC continues to alert the public about urgent health incidents and collaborate with partners to maintain strong stakeholder relationships.

In response to the perceived communication gap, external organizations are stepping in to fill the void. Initiatives like the FOI Clinical newsletter, created by epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers at Johns Hopkins University, and regional public health consortiums are emerging as alternative sources of information and collaboration. Rivers noted, “There’s an appetite for more relevant and more higher-volume communication.” These efforts highlight the critical need for transparent and timely communication in safeguarding public health, particularly in an era of evolving health threats.