The US government has been ordered to reinstate hundreds of webpages on gender identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) after a legal settlement concluded that their removal was unlawful.
District Court judge Lauren King ruled that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under former president Donald Trump, wrongly deleted the content. The deletions followed a January executive order from Trump directing the removal of information on gender identity, HIV prevention, and healthcare resources for marginalised groups.
Webpages affected included the National Institutes of Health’s HIV risk reduction tool, an FAQ on Mpox treatment, and hundreds of other resources covering LGBTQ+ health, pregnancy risk, and opioid-use disorder.
The lawsuit was brought by nine medical organisations and public health nonprofits. As part of the settlement finalised on Tuesday (2 September), the government must not only restore the data but also halt the deletion of similar resources in future.
The Washington State Medical Association (WSMA), the state’s largest medical association and lead plaintiff in the case, welcomed the outcome.
Dr John Bramhall, WSMA president, said he was “extremely proud” of the healthcare community for challenging the decision:
“This was not a partisan issue. Open data benefits everyone, and ensuring its availability should be a bipartisan priority.”
The settlement is expected to restore a wide range of resources, including pregnancy risk assessments, opioid treatment support, HIV data, and other vital health information for underserved communities.
