Federal health agencies must reinstate over 100 public health datasets and webpages removed in early 2025, following a legal challenge by medical groups.
What happened
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reached a legal settlement requiring the restoration of more than 100 datasets and webpages deleted from federal websites earlier this year. The lawsuit, filed by the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) and eight other healthcare organizations, challenged the removal of public health and scientific information following two executive orders signed by President Trump in January 2025.
The orders, Executive Order 14168 and Executive Order 14151, directed agencies like the CDC, NIH, and FDA to eliminate federal content related to gender identity, LGBTQ health, reproductive care, and other public health topics. Plaintiffs argued that this removal harmed public health efforts and violated multiple federal statutes.
Going deeper
The deleted content spanned a wide range of subjects, including LGBTQ health, Mpox treatment, HIV/AIDS resources, vaccine guidance, opioid use, and pregnancy risk data. The lawsuit claimed that thousands of datasets had been deleted without notice, impacting professionals who rely on them for patient care, disease monitoring, and scientific research.
The plaintiffs included several national and state health organizations, such as the Washington State Nurses Association, American Academy of Pediatrics (WA chapter), AcademyHealth, and the National LGBT Cancer Network. The lawsuit named multiple federal agencies and individuals as defendants, including HHS, CDC, NIH, and FDA leadership.
The suit alleged violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, and several public health laws, arguing that the data removals were abrupt and unlawful. The plaintiffs say the public has a legal right to access this federally funded information.
What was said
Plaintiffs described the data removals as “unprecedented” and damaging to both clinical care and public awareness. “Access to trustworthy information allows us to solve real problems, improve health outcomes, and plan for the future,” said Dr. Aaron Carroll, president of AcademyHealth.
WSMA President Dr. John Bramhall stated, “This was not a partisan issue—open data benefits everyone.” The group welcomed the settlement, which mandates that HHS restore all still-missing data and webpages as listed in the court filing’s Appendix A.
FAQs
What qualifies as a public health dataset under federal law?
A public health dataset typically includes federally funded information collected or maintained by public agencies to support healthcare delivery, research, or disease surveillance.
Why are executive orders allowed to remove or alter online content?
Presidents can issue executive orders to direct federal agency operations, but those actions must still comply with existing laws, such as the Administrative Procedure Act.
What is the Administrative Procedure Act, and how was it allegedly violated?
The APA requires federal agencies to follow transparent processes when making decisions, including changes that affect public access to information. Plaintiffs argued the deletions were made without proper notice or rationale.
Will this settlement prevent future data deletions?
The settlement mandates restoration of deleted content but does not permanently prevent future removals. However, it strengthens legal precedent for challenging such actions in court.
What is Appendix A in the settlement?
Appendix A refers to the detailed list of datasets and webpages that must be restored by HHS under the terms of the agreement. It serves as a binding reference in the case resolution.
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Farah Amod
