Lawsuit settlement requires restoration of critical federal health resources

The Washington State Nurses Association was among a group of nine health professional and public health organizations who sued the federal government in May to stop the deletion of vital public health and science data from websites maintained by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and its sub agencies.

We are excited to announce that we have reached a settlement in the lawsuit, Washington State Medical Association et al. v. Kennedy et al., that restores webpages and data that nurses, other healthcare providers, and scientists need to do their work.

“This settlement represents a win for nurses, science, and patients,” said WSNA president Justin Gill. “When clinicians, researchers, and advocates join together in pushing back against harmful policies by the administration, we can make a meaningful impact for our patients.”

The purges of webpages and other public-facing internet resources began Jan. 31, in response to executive orders aimed at dismantling DEI efforts and opposing LBGTQ care and research, especially for trans individuals.

WSNA signed on to this lawsuit early on. As Justin Gill said in the May 20 press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit: “Nurses strive to provide evidence-based care. That means care that is driven by current data—but we can’t do that if the data is unavailable.”

A wide range of webpages and data had been deleted. These included, for example,  FAQs for Mpox treatment, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) information about opioid use among women, various resources on health issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community, information related to transgender behavioral health disparities, and the Health and Human Services (HHS) website dedicated to reproductive rights.

“This victory shows that advocating with a sense of courage and a commitment to our core values can lead to change,” said David Keepnews, WSNA Executive Director. “Moving forward we need to remain vigilant and continue to speak out as we aim to protect the communities we serve and the professionals that care for them.”