As Trump administration champions IVF, it cuts key CDC staff
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President Trump has called himself the "fertilization president," but DOGE-directed cuts this month decimated Centers for Disease Control staff who track the safety, cost and outcomes of the nation's fertility clinics.
Why it matters: The CDC had been a source of unbiased information for families contemplating IVF or other assisted reproductive technologies, including estimates of of their chances for success.
Zoom in: The six-person Reproductive Technology Surveillance and Research Team, which operates under a congressional mandate dating to 1992, was a casualty of the cuts, a former CDC employee tells Axios.
- The team functioned as a clearinghouse for information and conducted research research about how to increase access and reduce costs.
- The Women's Health and Fertility Branch was also completely eliminated, and most of the CDC's Division of Reproductive Health was slashed.
"How does cutting this program support the administration's position?" the CDC employee said. "If [Trump] really wants to expand IVF access, that was exactly what we're trying to do, and we can only help support this position. It's really frustrating and and strange."
- Industry experts have also expressed alarm at the loss of the oversight tool.
- "Eliminating the surveillance apparatus at the CDC is like flying a plane with a blindfold on," Pietro Bortoletto, director of reproductive surgery at Boston IVF, told Bloomberg.
The other side: "The recent restructuring at the CDC is part of ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of federal health programs. The important work related to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) will continue, with a focus on ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to support public health priorities," an HHS official told Axios.
