Restore the blood safety program

The April 1st Reduction in Force at the CDC has, through major staff reductions, effectively eliminated the CDC’s Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics and its branches –Blood Disorders Surveillance and Epidemiology, Hemostasis Laboratory, and Public Health Genomics. This devastating cut threatens the safety of people with bleeding disorders and compromises blood supply safety monitoring that has protected Americans since the "bad blood era" of the 1980s. CRITICAL CONCERN: Compromised Blood Supply Safety • The CDC's monitoring for blood-borne pathogens (HIV, Hepatitis, Zika, Ebola) in the national blood supply is now severely compromised due to the loss of cross- collaboration with other vital work within the CDC. • This surveillance system was established following the devastating "bad blood era" when thousands with bleeding disorders were infected with HIV and Hepatitis through contaminated blood products. • Without proper monitoring, we risk repeating history's tragic mistakes. No Transition Plan • The abrupt RIF came without advanced public input, and there are no publicly known plans for how these critical public health functions will continue. • As of the most recent information, only two staff members remain, making functional operations impossible. • Decades of institutional knowledge and expertise have been lost overnight. Please take immediate action to restore and safeguard this program.