CDC Shuts Down Premier STD Lab, Leaving Experts Aghast
2025-04-07
The US government has shuttered the CDC's leading sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) laboratory, firing all 28 employees. This leaves experts concerned about the lack of monitoring for drug-resistant STDs, especially gonorrhea, where antimicrobial resistance is rising. The lab played a crucial role in global surveillance and treatment recommendations, and its closure is seen as a significant blow to public health efforts, particularly as new gonorrhea drugs are nearing completion. The lack of transparency surrounding the decision has further fueled concerns.