A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restore public health websites that were removed or modified in response to Trump administration executive orders on gender.
U.S. District Judge John Bates issued the temporary restraining order on February 11, 2025, granting the request from nonprofit organization Doctors for America, which sued the administration over the website removals. The ruling states that the health agencies removed the sites without explanation and likely violated federal law.
"By removing long relied upon medical resources without explanation, it is likely that each agency failed to 'examine the relevant data and articulate a satisfactory explanation for its action,'" Bates wrote in his 21-page opinion.
The judge ordered the CDC and FDA to restore access by the end of Tuesday, February 12, a process that agency staff members were reportedly scrambling to complete.
Critical Health Resources Affected
The removed websites and databases, some of which had been online for decades, contained essential public health information on multiple topics:
- CDC guidelines for HIV and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), which reduces the risk of contracting AIDS
- The CDC's Social Vulnerability Index, a critical tool for identifying high-risk areas during public health emergencies like COVID-19
- FDA databases tracking diversity in clinical trials
- The National Assisted Reproductive Technologies Surveillance System, which monitors fertility treatment success rates
- Information on youth health risks and LGBTQ health
- The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System tracking U.S. high school students' health behaviors
- CDC's contraceptive guidance for healthcare providers
Some researchers also reported that scientific studies on racial health disparities were removed. Dr. Lucia Leone, an associate professor at the University of Buffalo, noted that a 2017 study she co-authored on food access in low-income communities was taken down, likely because it contained the word "diverse."
Impact on Healthcare Delivery
Healthcare providers expressed significant concerns about the impact of these removals on patient care.
Dr. Stephanie Liou, who screens students for sexually transmitted infections and prescribes PrEP, stated in a court declaration: "We recently had an outbreak of Chlamydia at the high school where I work and are actively meeting with school leadership to address increasing our efforts around STI testing and prevention. Without these crucial CDC resources, I am not able to do my job to help address this urgent situation that is affecting our youth."
Dr. Reshma Ramachandran, assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine, highlighted that the CDC's contraceptive guidance for providers was also removed, affecting care for female patients with complex medical conditions who require appropriate contraceptive options that won't interfere with existing treatments.
The Infectious Diseases Society of America and HIV Medicine Association issued a joint statement expressing deep concern, noting that the removal of these resources "creates a dangerous gap in scientific information and data to monitor and respond to disease outbreaks."
Legal Arguments and Ruling
The lawsuit argued that the CDC and FDA violated federal law by failing to follow correct procedures for removing public information. The Justice Department, defending the Trump administration, claimed Doctors for America lacked legal standing to challenge the actions and argued that the sites could still be accessed through an online archive called the Wayback Machine.
"The doctors just prefer not to search," Justice Department attorney James Harlow argued in a legal filing. "But one's 'desire' for information from a preferred government source and in a preferred format does not establish informational injury when the content is otherwise obtainable."
Judge Bates rejected this argument, ruling that the health agencies' actions would harm "everyday Americans, and most acutely, underprivileged Americans, seeking healthcare."
"If those doctors cannot provide these individuals the care they need (and deserve) within the scheduled and often limited time frame, there is a chance that some individuals will not receive treatment, including for severe, life-threatening conditions," Bates wrote.
Background on Website Removals
The website removals followed executive orders requiring federal agencies to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs and to recognize only two biological sexes: male and female. A January 29 memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management directed agencies to remove "all outward facing media (websites, social media accounts, etc.) that inculcate or promote gender ideology" by January 31.
A senior health official told CNN that CDC staff were warned that failing to comply with the orders could have consequences. "In the process, large swaths of data and science will be unavailable for an undetermined period," the official said. "Regardless of your comfort with the idea of trans people, you should be terrified that the government is purging truth and science to fit an ideology, because what's next?"
The Association of Health Care Journalists also sent a formal letter to Acting HHS Secretary Dr. Dorothy Fink and Acting CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez, requesting that the sites be restored, noting that the missing data is "crucial" for informing the public about issues such as "smoking, vaping, drinking, eating, exercise, and sexual behavior."
Implications for Public Health Information Access
The court's decision represents a significant development in the ongoing tension between political directives and public health information access. While the temporary restraining order provides immediate relief by restoring these resources, questions remain about the long-term status of these websites and the precedent this sets for government control of scientific information.
Dr. Steven Woolf, director emeritus and professor of family medicine and population health at Virginia Commonwealth University, expressed cautious optimism: "Restoring access to this vital data is welcome news, if it happens. But this list doesn't cover everything that has gone missing."
As federal health agencies work to restore the removed content, healthcare providers, researchers, and public health experts continue to emphasize the critical importance of maintaining access to evidence-based health information, particularly for vulnerable populations and those with complex medical needs.
