U.S. HHS Documents and Communications “Paused”
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) recently directed an “Immediate Pause on Issuing Documents and Public Communications” to all HHS Heads of Operating Divisions and Staff Divisions. The pause was announced in a 1/21/2025 memo from Dorothy A. Fink, HHS Acting Secretary, and will be in place till at least 2/1/2025. Review and approval by a Presidential appointee is required for documents intended for publication in the Federal Register, regulations, guidance documents, notices, grant announcements, and communications, including social media, websites, press releases, and listservs. Public speaking engagements are also on hold until a Presidential appointee reviews and approves the event and material. Exceptions may be granted for documents and communications required by statute or litigation or that “affect critical health, safety, environmental, financial, or national security functions of the Department.” HHS is composed of three human services agencies and ten Public Health Service agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and National Institutes of Health (NIH).