The second Trump administration has dissolved more than 100 science-focused federal advisory committees, according to reporting by the journal Nature, with over a quarter of healthcare-related committees shut down as of March. Among those terminated was a committee on long COVID that included patient advocates and specialists in pediatric long COVID treatment, though the group never held a single meeting before being disbanded.
Federal advisory committees have operated under the Federal Advisory Committee Act framework since 1972, bringing together outside experts to advise federal agencies on complex issues ranging from vaccine recommendations to cancer screening guidelines to asteroid prevention. These committees are staffed primarily by volunteers from diverse professional backgrounds and are regarded as vehicles for incorporating independent expertise and diverse perspectives into federal decision-making. White House officials stated that the dissolved committees “were found to be redundant, unnecessary, or ineffective” but did not provide specific justifications for individual terminations.
Science advocacy groups have expressed concern about the impact of these terminations. The Union of Concerned Scientists counted 150 advisory committees at science agencies terminated in 2025 alone. Researchers argue that the committees serve as connective tissue facilitating coordination across agencies and bringing real-world experience to policymaking. For example, infectious disease specialists note that healthcare workers provide practical insights into implementing research findings in hospital settings, insights that federal agency staff may lack.
Terminated committees addressed topics including fisheries management, NASA space missions, and hospital infection control. Specific concerns have emerged about gaps in guidance on emerging threats, such as the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris, which has seen rising cases in healthcare facilities in recent years. Advocates contend that losing these advisory structures will have consequences for federal agencies and public health that may not be immediately apparent but will accumulate over time.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI