Get rid of the HHS thought police

Words are power. Whether used to twist or reveal, language matters. This is why it was such a shock to hear the Department of Health and Human Services instruct some of its divisions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to avoid using certain words or phrases in official documents. It sounds like thought police at work.

Consider China, where thought police really exist. China routinely censors articles containing politically sensitive words such as “Taiwan,” “Tibet” and “cultural revolution “because it does not want its people to think about them. Writing about democracy could lead to trouble in Belarus, Cuba and Vietnam, too. This is what repressive regimes do all over the world.

It is not a far stretch from these examples to the HHS language militia. Leaders at the CDC were told of the list of forbidden terms Dec. 14 during a discussion of its upcoming budget request. Terms prohibited were: “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender,” “fetus,” “evidencebased” and “science-based.”

The CDC’s new director, Brenda Fitzgerald, claims “there are no banned words at CDC.” That’s a relief, given the agency’s mission, which includes acting as sentinel for public health, warning of threats and responding rapidly to meet them. But Ms. Fitzgerald’s assurance does not ease concerns that higher-ups at HHS continue to pursue a political and ideological agenda. Why would they eliminate “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity” and “transgender” other than to airbrush the ideas out of underlying policy?

Unfettered scientific research is vital to maintain public health, even when the results are unpopular with some communities and points of view. Talking about science is critical in, for instance, understanding the value of childhood vaccination in preventing the spread of measles. Someone should tell the thought police at HHS to stand down.