CDC

The audit

Who controls it

CDC controls its public pages, and page-level authors are generally not named; the pregnancy vaccine page says subject-matter experts last reviewed it October 7, 2026. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) historically assessed evidence and voted, while the CDC Director decided whether to adopt recommendations; some 2025-2026 changes occurred without the usual committee consultation.

Money

CDC's FY2025 core public-health program level was $9.248 billion, from a mix of federal sources. The separate CDC Foundation reported $176.8 million in FY2025 grants and contributions, including $63.2 million from foundations, $9.7 million from other organizations and individuals, $5.1 million from corporations, and $98.8 million from government grants and contracts; it also received a $1.25 million CDC operating grant.

Conflict rules

CDC posts ACIP member financial disclosures and says members disclose conflicts at meetings and recuse from related votes. Its July 10, 2025 list includes only members who declared conflicts, and reviewed consumer pregnancy pages do not show reviewer-specific disclosures.

Method

CDC describes GRADE, a structured evidence-rating method, and Evidence-to-Recommendations review covering benefits and harms, evidence quality, values, economics, and published evidence tables. Its methods page is dated January 7, 2025 and does not establish that later Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or CDC changes followed the usual process.

Dates on its pages

The public pregnancy-vaccine page says it was last reviewed October 7, 2026, the COVID-19 clinician page September 23, 2026, and a separate pregnancy clinician table is dated August 22, 2025.

Political exposure

GAO reported that CDC changed Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) prepublication handling in May 2020, shared proofs outside CDC, and received edit requests from a political appointee; CDC resumed its prior practice January 20, 2021, while GAO described 2021 mask-guidance pressure as allegations and concerns. In 2025-2026, CDC changed its COVID-in-pregnancy recommendation without the usual ACIP vote, all 17 then-sitting members were removed June 9, 2025, and a March 16, 2026 court order blocked 13 appointments and set aside later committee votes; no appellate decision was identified by October 14, 2026. Separately, federal webpage-removal directives led to court-ordered restoration in 2025, and CDC revised its autism page July 22, 2026; the audit does not identify a pregnancy vaccine page as removed or claim that the public dispute proves political direction.

Money exposure

CDC's main funding is public, and the separate Foundation reported $5.1 million in corporate contributions in FY2025. The Foundation says funding is not contingent on favorable scientific results; no evidence was identified that corporate or Foundation money funded or changed the pregnancy or vaccine pages reviewed.

Track record

The 1983 CDC MMWR backtest reported an association between first-trimester valproate and spina bifida and estimated 1-2% risk, while cautioning that a UK case series could over-report abnormal pregnancies; it was an early report, not a modern pregnancy guide. The 2025 codeine pages differ in strength: an undated fact sheet says to avoid codeine while breastfeeding whenever possible, while the clinician page emphasizes duration and infant-toxicity signs. In the acetaminophen backtest, CDC's precautionary avoidance wording appeared by September 25, 2025, three days after FDA's announcement; CDC also said causation was not established, and timing alone does not establish political direction.

Where this comes from

• CDC pregnancy vaccine recommendations
• CDC ACIP evidence-based methods
• CDC ACIP member disclosures
• Congressional Research Service vaccine timeline
• GAO report on MMWR and political pressure
• CDC Foundation FY2025 report