The Impact of the CDC Injury Prevention Team Lay Offs

​The recent layoffs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have significantly impacted the agency’s capacity to prevent and monitor injuries, which are the leading cause of death for Americans under 45. Entire teams dedicated to areas such as motor vehicle crashes, child maltreatment, rape prevention, drowning, traumatic brain injury, and falls in the elderly have been eliminated.

These cuts have halted critical projects, including the development of updated guidance on diagnosing traumatic brain injuries in children and research on injury patterns following natural disasters. The layoffs also disrupted the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a key database that provided real-time monitoring of non-fatal injuries across the country.

While some divisions, like overdose prevention and suicide research, were largely spared, they now lack the technical support necessary to carry out their work effectively. Experts warn that without these specialized teams, the federal government’s ability to systematically track and prevent injuries is severely compromised, potentially leaving communities without essential data to guide public health interventions.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has stated that critical CDC programs will continue as part of a broader effort to streamline operations. However, public health advocates express concern that the loss of experienced scientists and the dismantling of established programs will have long-term negative effects on injury prevention efforts nationwide. ​

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