Open The Government led a coalition of 27 organizations in urging Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to rescind a directive to hospitals, hospital laboratories, and acute care facilities to reroute daily COVID-19 data reporting from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to HHS via a system managed by a private contractor.
In a letter to Azar, the organizations stated HHS’ decision limits transparency and access to public health data, hindering health experts, and the public’s ability to evaluate government response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The letter was co-signed by:
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas
American Civil Liberties Union
The Carter Center
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
ECI Communications
Equity Forward
Essential Information
FracTracker Alliance
Government Executives International
Government Information Watch
Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
NAACP
National Center for Health Research
National Coalition Against Censorship
National Employment Law Project
National Federation of Federal Employees
National Freedom of Information Coalition
National Health Law Program
Open The Government
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
Revolving Door Project
Rural Coalition
Special Libraries Association
Union of Concerned Scientists