Trump administration dismissals gut federal science advisory committees
More than 100 volunteer expert panels advising on long COVID, vaccines and other research have been shut down since Trump took office, with researchers warning of lasting damage.
What to know
- More than 100 federal science-focused advisory committees have been terminated since the start of the second Trump administration, per a Nature news analysis.
- As of March 2026, over a quarter of the country's healthcare-related federal committees had been shut down, according to Public Citizen.
- A long COVID advisory panel including patient advocate Netia McCray and pediatrician Dr. Alexandra Yonts was disbanded before it ever held a meeting.
- Researchers and advocates say the loss of this volunteer expert system, formalized under the 1972 Federal Advisory Committee Act, will have effects lasting years.
Netia McCray Long COVID patient and former advisory committee memberDr. Alexandra Yonts Pediatrician specializing in long COVID, Children's National Hospital
Donald Trump U.S. PresidentPublic Citizen Advocacy group
The record 4 articles and posts · last 26 days
- summary covers to here · Aug 29, 11:14 AM · 2 pieces above arrived after
What people are saying 2 voices from 2 sites · verbatim
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The US relied on these science advisers. Then the Trump administration cut them | NPR https://www. npr.org/2026/08/29/nx-s1-59450 29/trump-cut-science-advisory-committees-consequences
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The federal government recruits top experts to volunteer to advise on pressing research issues of the day. Since President Trump took office, hundreds of these experts have been dismissed.