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The Trump administration has abruptly terminated the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC), a long-standing CDC panel responsible for setting national standards on preventing infections in healthcare settings.
The CDC informed members of the committee only last Friday—though the termination had already taken effect as of March 31, citing a federal workforce reduction executive order. HICPAC played a critical role in advising U.S. hospitals on infection control measures like hand hygiene, mask protocols, and isolation practices.
Experts warn this move could freeze infection control guidelines in time, making it harder to respond to evolving threats like drug-resistant bacteria. The committee had been close to finalizing long-overdue updates on airborne pathogen protection, including controversial changes to mask recommendations.
Professional organizations had petitioned the Department of Health and Human Services to preserve the committee, but no response has yet been issued.
Healthcare professionals fear the dismantling of HICPAC leaves U.S. hospitals without updated, evidence-based guidance at a time when new infectious threats are on the rise.
