Nearly half of CDC surveillance databases have halted updates, raising concerns about health data gaps

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Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the organization they represent.   
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1. Nearly half of CDC surveillance databases have halted updates, raising concerns about health data gaps

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-04022

Editorial: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-05527

Summary for Patients: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-04022-PS

URL goes live when the embargo lifts             

An audit of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) public databases found that nearly half of routinely updated federal health surveillance systems had stopped or delayed updates in 2025, raising concerns that gaps in data, particularly on vaccinations and respiratory diseases, could undermine clinical guidance, public health policy, and public trust. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from Vanderbilt University, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Boston University School of Law aimed to identify which CDC databases had unexplained pauses in updates and evaluate how common such pauses were among frequently updated CDC databases were. They reviewed the CDC’s public data catalog in October 2025, examining more than 1,300 listed databases and focusing on those that had previously been updated at least monthly. Using each database’s stated update schedule, they classified whether updates were current or paused. Of the 82 databases that met inclusion criteria, 46% had halted updates, most for more than six months. The majority of paused databases tracked vaccination-related information, while others covered respiratory diseases and drug overdose deaths. As of early December 2025, almost none had resumed updating. The authors conclude that prolonged, unexplained pauses in federal health surveillance data risk weakening evidence-based decision-making and recommend minimum transparency standards, including clear status updates, reasons for delays, and timelines for resuming data publication.

In an accompanying editorial, Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH, CEO of the Infectious Disease Society of America, discusses the role of CDC surveillance in the ability to coordinate effective, urgent responses to public health concerns. Dr. Marrazzo notes that without reliable data, the US is not only flying blind in the face of emerging and re-emerging threats to human health and well-being, but also is deprived of effective weaponry.

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author Janet Freilich, JD please email janetf@bu.edu.

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2. Faster sodium correction linked to better outcomes in hyponatremia, challenging current guidelines

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-03676

URL goes live when the embargo lifts             

A retrospective cohort study of hospitalized adults with severely low sodium levels found that correcting sodium more quickly was associated with a lower risk of death or delayed neurologic complications, challenging long-standing medical recommendations that favor slow correction. The findings suggest that commonly used treatment approaches may unintentionally increase risk for some patients. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. 

Researchers from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) examined medical records from 13,988 adults hospitalized with severe hyponatremia between 2008 and 2023 across 21 community hospitals in the KPNC health system. Patients were grouped based on how quickly their sodium levels were corrected within the first 24 hours and were followed for up to 90 days. The primary outcome was death or serious delayed neurologic events, such as brain damage, seizures, paralysis, or altered consciousness. Overall, 21% of patients experienced one of these outcomes. After adjusting for patient risk factors, those whose sodium levels were corrected at medium or fast rates had a significantly lower risk of death or neurologic complications than those treated more slowly, particularly among higher-risk patients. The results suggest that current guidelines promoting slow correction of sodium levels may warrant reevaluation.

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author Dustin G. Mark, MD, please email dustin.g.mark@kp.org.

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3. Sustained participation in hospital-based violence intervention programs cut risk of future violence by 50%

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-01678

URL goes live when the embargo lifts             

In a study of young adults treated for violent injuries, researchers found that hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) reduce future involvement in violence when participants stay engaged over several weeks. Young adults who engaged consistently with the program for two months saw their risk of violent reinjury or perpetration cut by at least 50% over three years. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. 

Researchers from Boston University and colleagues aimed to determine whether Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) HVIP could prevent future violence among young adults injured in shootings or stabbings. They analyzed hospital and police records for 1,328 patients aged 16 to 34 who presented to the BMC emergency department with a knife or firearm assault injury between 2013 and 2022 and compared outcomes for those who engaged with the HVIP within one month of injury to those who did not. The results showed no significant difference unless participation in the HVIP was sustained over the first eight weeks. Among those who engaged consistently with the program, the researchers found sizable, long-term reductions in community violence. The findings underscore the potential for HVIPs to significantly reduce community violence and demonstrate the need for more research focusing on effective implementation. 

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author Jonathan Jay, DrPH, JD please email Jennifer Rosenberg at jennr@bu.edu. 

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Also new this issue:

Artificial Intelligence Scribes: Enhancing Workflow Efficiency at What Expense?

Ursula M. Francis, JD, PhD, MSc; Heather M. Whitney, PhD; and Baddr A. Shakhsheer, MD

Ideas and Opinions

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-04073

Impact of Study Hypotheses on Results From Randomized Clinical Trials: Comparison Between Standard and Noninferiority Randomized Clinical Trials

Yuanxi Jia, PhD, et al.

Research and Reporting Methods

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-01344