Health Groups Sue HHS Over Deletion of Key Public Health Information

SEATTLE — Nine public health organizations filed a lawsuit on May 20 in federal court in Seattle against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), alleging the illegal removal of dozens of federal webpages. The deleted pages included information on HIV, LGBTQ health, pregnancy risks, opioid use, and vaccine guidance.

The suit was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. It names HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and several other federal officials, including leaders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as defendants.

Groups Say Public Health Was Harmed

According to the complaint, the deletions began after January 20, 2025, and followed two executive orders. One order addressed "gender ideology," and the other targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The plaintiffs argue these orders led to broad and careless removals of public health resources.

“These actions have undermined the longstanding, congressionally mandated regime; irreparably harmed Plaintiffs and others who rely on these federal resources; and put the nation’s public health infrastructure in unnecessary jeopardy,” the lawsuit states.

The suit does not name the president who signed the orders, though it is known they were issued by President Donald Trump.

LGBTQ and HIV Resources Disappear

An addendum in the 44-page lawsuit lists 49 webpages that were affected. Only four of those pages have since been restored. Among the deleted pages, 15 addressed LGBTQ health issues and six focused on HIV.

The removal of these resources “came as a shock to the medical and scientific communities,” the lawsuit says. Health professionals, researchers, and local governments had used the sites regularly to access critical health data and guidance.

Advocacy Groups Speak Out

Jose Zuniga, president and CEO of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), said in a statement that the deletions affected key materials on “LGBTQ+ health, gender and reproductive rights, clinical trial data, Mpox and other vaccine guidance and HIV prevention resources.”

Zuniga said IAPAC rejects “ideologically driven efforts that undermine public health and erase marginalized communities.”

Lisa Amore, a spokesperson for Whitman-Walker Health in Washington, D.C., also raised concerns. “As the region’s leader in HIV care and prevention, Whitman-Walker Health relies on scientific data to help us drive our resources and measure our successes,” she said.

Amore warned the removals could reverse years of progress in HIV care. “The District of Columbia has made great strides in the fight against HIV,” she said. “But the removal of public-facing information from the HHS website makes our collective work much harder and will set HIV care and prevention backward.”

Groups Seek Restoration and Court Action

The lawsuit calls for the court to declare the deletions unlawful and to order the federal government to restore the removed webpages. It also asks the court to require regular updates from the agencies to confirm compliance with the order.

The plaintiffs include groups such as the Washington State Medical Association, National LGBT Cancer Network, Vermont Medical Society, and others.

A White House spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.