Scientific meetings were canceled, and research data on the bird flu outbreak was delayed, amid confusion over the directive.

The Trump administration has ordered federal health agencies to halt external communications — including health advisories and ongoing scientific updates — until at least Feb. 1, according to multiple national media outlets and health organizations.

The Trump administration has put a freeze on many federal health agency communications with the public through at least the end of the month.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed federal health agencies to pause all external communications, such as health advisories, weekly scientific reports, updates to websites and social media posts,

The agencies are charged with making decisions that touch the lives of every American and are the source of crucial information to health-care providers.

Federal health officials have been instructed to temporarily stop any “external communications” to the public, according to two officials with knowledge of the situation.

As the new Administration considers its plan for managing the federal policy and public communications processes, it is important that the President’s appointees and designee