CDC Removes Key Webpages on Sexual Identity, Gender, and Health Equity After Federal Directive

More than a dozen critical webpages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, focusing on areas like sexual and gender identity and health equity, have been taken offline. This significant removal comes after a directive from the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, which oversees the CDC, according to an internal CDC email obtained by CNBC.

The directive mandated the removal of these specific resources by September 19, 2025. Among the pages now inaccessible are vital public health information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pertinent to gay men, resources addressing health equity for individuals with disabilities, and fact sheets detailing asexuality and bisexuality.

Health equity advocates have voiced strong concerns, warning that such actions could severely limit access to crucial health information, particularly for already marginalized groups. They argue that these removals threaten to undermine ongoing efforts to foster equitable care across the nation.

Advocates Warn of Eroding Trust and Gaps in Care

A spokesperson for the LBGT PA Caucus, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting LGBTQ+ health-care equity, condemned the move, stating that “stripping away resources on gender identity does not erase the need, it only erodes trust, creates confusion, and places patients at greater risk.” The organization emphasized that clinicians and communities depend on accessible, accurate, and inclusive guidance to deliver safe and effective care.

While the internal email did not elaborate on the specific reasons behind the HHS directive or the targeted topics, many of the removed subjects align with areas that have faced scrutiny during the current administration. The administration has previously implemented executive actions limiting the rights of transgender and nonbinary individuals and rolled back initiatives aimed at increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

An HHS spokesperson confirmed that the “CDC continues to align their website with Administration priorities and Executive Orders,” directing further inquiries to HHS. The CDC itself also deferred comment to HHS.

A Pattern of Federal Website Removals

This is not the first instance where health resources on federal agency websites have been targeted. In late January, thousands of pages across the CDC, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other agencies were abruptly removed following an executive order barring references to gender identity in federal policies and documents.

A federal judge later intervened in February, ordering HHS, CDC, and FDA to temporarily restore public access to these pages. In July, the same judge ruled the mass removal unlawful, requiring agencies to review and reinstate affected pages. By September 19, the administration reported to the court that most agencies had complied, with 185 pages restored and only 11 CDC pages still under review. It remains unclear how many of the pages newly removed this month were part of the previous lawsuit.

The timing of these most recent removals—on the same day the administration reported compliance with the court order—raises further questions about the ongoing review process and the specific criteria for determining which resources remain available to the public.

Verified Offline Pages Include:

CNBC has verified that the following online resources are now offline. The digital archive site Wayback Machine indicates their last known active dates:

• About STIs and Gay Men – Last online Sept. 5.
• STI information for Transgender and Gender Diverse Persons – Last online Sept. 2.
• About Shigella Infection Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men – Last online Sept. 1.
• Prevention Approaches for Viral Hepatitis in Gay and Bisexual Men – Last online Aug. 30.
• Viral Hepatitis Among Men Who Have Sex with Men – Last online Sept. 2.
• Tuberculosis and Asian Persons – Last online Aug. 28.
• Risk of Clade 1 Mpox among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men who Have Sex With Men – Last online July 20.
• CDC’s CORE Commitment to Health Equity – Last online Jan. 30.
• Health Equity in Cancer Prevention and Control – Last online Sept. 1.
• Health Equity and Drug Overdose – Last online Sept. 1.
• Health Equity for People with Disabilities – Last online Aug. 27.
• Health Equity in Injury and Violence Prevention – Last online Aug. 27.
• National Prevention Information Network: Understanding Bisexuality – Last online Nov. 23, 2024.
• National Prevention Information Network: Understanding Asexuality – Last online Nov. 23, 2024.
• National Prevention Information Network: Lesbian/Bisexual Women – Page currently loads with only the title.
• National Prevention Information Network: Guidelines for Comprehensive Sex Education 3rd Edition – Last online July 8.
• Alzheimer’s Communication Guide – Last online June 10.

Some pages listed in the internal CDC spreadsheet remain online, including a page monitoring hospitalizations linked to respiratory syncytial virus.