Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Monday 18 deceMber 2017

A CDC ban on ‘fetus’ and ‘transgender?’ Experts alarmed

By MIKE STOBBE not use words like ‘trans- continue to use the best
AP Medical Writer gender’ and ‘diversity,’ it’s scientific evidence avail-
NEW YORK (AP) — Health a clear statement that you able to improve the health
leaders say they are cannot pay attention to of all Americans. HHS also
alarmed about a report these issues.” strongly encourages the
that officials at the nation’s The CDC official who spoke use of outcome and evi-
top public health agency to The Associated Press said dence data in program
are being told not to use the feedback to reconsider evaluations and budget
certain words or phrases in budget language came decisions.”
official budget documents, from “higher-ups” in the An HHS official did not re-
including “fetus,” ‘’trans- federal government, and spond to any additional
gender” and “science- not from anyone at the questions. A White House
based.” CDC. She said she was in- official referred questions
The health community was formed of the meeting but to HHS.
reacting to a story in The she was not there, and did The CDC is in a sensitive po-
Washington Post published This Nov. 19, 2013 file photo shows a Centers for Disease Control not know who made the sition. The White House and
late Friday citing an anony- and Prevention logo at the agency’s federal headquarters in language suggestions. some Republican lawmak-
mous source who said the Atlanta. Since President Donald ers have proposed dramat-
prohibition was made at a Trump took office, a num- ic reductions to the agen-
recent meeting of senior authorized to talk about to infectious disease out- ber of federal agencies cy’s $7 billion discretionary
budget officials at the U.S. what happened. breaks, like Ebola and Zika, have moved to downscale budget.
Centers for Disease Control A spokesman at the U.S. and tracking a wide range data collection on topics “Everybody in the public
and Prevention. The seven Department of Health and of chronic diseases and like climate change and health community recog-
words and phrases — “di- Human Services, which other health problems. homeless people who are nizes that there is a slowly
versity,” ‘’entitlement,” ‘’fe- oversees CDC, said in a For decades, the agency gay, lesbian, bisexual and growing timidity by col-
tus,” transgender,” ‘’vulner- statement that it’s a mis- has had a mostly sterling transgender and to re- leagues whose budgets
able,” ‘’evidence-based” characterization to say the reputation as a source of move information on such are dependent on the fed-
and “science-based” — CDC was banned from us- scientific information. That topics from some govern- eral government. I have a
were not to be used in doc- ing certain words. But HHS the agency could be cen- ment websites. deep sympathy for the pre-
uments that are to be cir- officials did not clarify or an- soring certain language The CDC has in the past dicament that they are in,”
culated within the federal swer any other questions. In sparked alarm and anger seemed to signal an inter- Dr. Galea said.
government and Congress an email to the agency’s from some science and est in less talk and data on One medical leader from
in preparation of the next employees on Saturday public health experts. certain subjects. Earlier this an outside agency, who
presidential budget pro- night, CDC Director Dr. “Here’s a word that’s still year, for example, the HHS works closely with CDC em-
posal, the paper reported. Brenda Fitzgerald noted the allowed: ‘ridiculous,’” said proposed deleting a ques- ployees, said a CDC ban
On Saturday a CDC official media report and wrote; Rush Holt, chief executive tion of sexuality from a fed- on certain words and terms
confirmed CDC officials “I want to assure you that officer of the American As- eral data-collecting survey. may not be limited to bud-
were given “feedback” CDC remains committed to sociation for the Advance- It was restored after an out- get documents. He said
from higher ranks of the our public health mission as ment of Science, in a state- cry by advocates for the two CDC employees told
federal government at a a science- and evidence- ment reacting to the report. LGBT community. him agency workers have
recent meeting to recon- based institution. As part of Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of In a statement respond- been told not to use the
sider certain language in our commitment to provide Boston University’s School ing to the Post story, HHS term “health equity” in pre-
draft budget documents. for the common defense of of Public Health, says these spokesman Matt Lloyd sentations or public talks.
But she said she did not the country against health things matter “because the said: “The assertion that The term refers to a goal
know if there was any spe- threats, science is and will words that we use ultimate- HHS has ‘banned words’ of removing obstacles like
cific prohibition about us- remain the foundation of ly describe what we care is a complete mischarac- poverty and racial discrimi-
ing those seven words. She our work.” about and what we think terization of discussions nation in making sure peo-
spoke on condition of ano- The Atlanta-based CDC is are priorities.” regarding the budget for- ple have an equal chance
nymity, saying she was not in charge of responding “If you are saying you can- mulation process. HHS will to be healthy.q