Public Health Institutions Step In as CDC‘s MMWR Faces Uncertainty
MINNEAPOLIS,MN – As trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) erodes,other institutions are moving to fill the critical data void traditionally provided by the long-standing publication. The MMWR, published weekly as 1952 and historically the first source for details on outbreaks and emerging diseases, has experienced disruptions in recent years, raising concerns within the public health community.
These disruptions include a “communications pause” during the early days of the Trump administration in January 2025, resulting in the journal missing a publication for the first time in it’s history. Weekly editions were also paused during government shutdowns, and in October 2025, much of the MMWR team was briefly laid off before being reinstated. Former editor-in-chief Charlotte Kent revealed that administration officials had pressured the journal to alter its reporting methods.
Despite a Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson stating the agency “is committed to the MMWR as the nation’s trusted, science-driven source for timely and accurate health data,” concerns persist.
In response, the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota has taken on responsibilities typically handled by the federal government. In April 2025, CIDRAP launched the Vaccine Integrity Project, offering parallel vaccine recommendations to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which was reconstituted in June 2025 by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Several professional societies, including the American Academy of pediatrics, have already adopted the Vaccine Integrity Project’s recommendations.
CIDRAP Director Michael Osterholm announced at a recent conference that further initiatives are underway to bolster public health infrastructure amidst dwindling political support. The center has secured funding from over 65 private foundations to support eight graduate students, signaling a broader shift in philanthropic priorities.
“We all understand it’s hard to do anything without resources,” osterholm stated. “Tonight I am happy to report to you we will be following up with you in the near future not just with words but with dollars.”
These developments highlight a growing reliance on non-governmental organizations and philanthropic support to maintain essential public health functions as the future of the MMWR remains uncertain.
