"The halt has frozen research grants, meetings and key health updates. “Everything is basically in chaos,” said one cancer researcher."
"No meetings of cancer researchers to discuss issuing new federal grants. No new scientific reports on lessons from fighting avian flu. Not even private briefings for congressional staffers who have questions about health agency operations.
Health officials and experts said this week they are reeling after the new Trump administration on Tuesday abruptly halted external communication at the Department of Health and Human Services and its agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. The pause extends through Feb. 1, according to a memo obtained by The Washington Post. The Trump administration also issued a second order indefinitely halting the travel of HHS personnel, according to a second memo obtained by The Post.
The Trump administration Thursday defended the holds as a part of the presidential transition and said it had provided flexibility for urgent communications."
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