By April 15, 2025, an analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that 46% of CDC public health databases had stopped updating or been taken offline entirely. This included critical disease surveillance systems tracking measles, whooping cough, HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections. The VFC (Vaccines for Children) tracking system went dark, eliminating visibility into vaccination rates among low-income children.
The WONDER database, which researchers use to track disease mortality, stopped publishing new data after February 2025. Kennedy's HHS issued a February 7 directive requiring all CDC communications, publications, and data releases to receive political approval before publication. Scientists and public health officials testified to Congress that the data blackout 'crippled our ability to detect and respond to disease outbreaks,“ with one CDC researcher stating 'we are flying blind into the next pandemic.” The suppression came as multiple vaccine-preventable diseases were surging to levels not seen in decades.