Trump admin. is muffling CDC’s flagship health journal, report finds

The flagship health journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has seen a notable reduction in activity this year, with new reports suggesting that various actions from the Trump administration may be impacting this vital publication. According to sources cited by MedPage Today, the journal's scientific articles now require approval for publication from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known anti-vaccine advocate who lacks formal health, science, or medical credentials. A representative from the Department of Health and Human Services has dismissed these allegations as "false." However, it is evident that the journal, officially known as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), has experienced a decline in output since the administration's shift. The frequency of publications has decreased, and the media is no longer receiving early access to studies as was previously customary. In a significant departure from its 60-plus years of operation, the MMWR missed its publication schedule for the first time during a comprehensive federal communication freeze in January. MedPage analyzed the publication counts for the months of May, June, and July over the past years, comparing 2025's figures to those from 2018 to 2024, while excluding the extraordinary years during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2025, only 35 articles were published during this three-month span, significantly lower than the average of 76 publications recorded in previous years, which ranged from 55 to 89.