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While the government has temporarily resumed operations, the possibility of another shutdown remains if congressional negotiations fail in the next three weeks. During such events, government functions and personnel are categorized based on their necessity. For instance, federal courts remain operational, but NASA’s social media presence halts. This raises questions about the status of health and safety agencies.
Services Continuing Uninterrupted During a Shutdown
Programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP will continue without disruption.
Clinics under Indian Health Services and hospitals managed by the Veterans Affairs will also remain operational.
The Environmental Protection Agency can sustain its operations “for a limited period.”
Patients receiving care in hospitals funded by the National Institutes of Health will not be affected.
Efforts to combat foodborne illnesses and influenza, manage high-risk food recalls, and conduct criminal investigations will persist if public health is deemed at risk.
Inspections of imported food and medical products into the US will proceed as usual.
Food typically inspected by the US Department of Agriculture will also continue to be monitored.
FDA operations “essential to addressing immediate threats to human life.”
Addressing the ongoing shortage of saline IV bags caused by Hurricane Maria’s impact on Puerto Rico, where a significant portion of the US’s IV bags were produced.
Activities Suspended During a Shutdown
NIH-run clinical trials are unable to enroll new participants.
Many of the Food and Drug Administration’s “routine” inspections will be suspended.
“Most” of the FDA’s food safety and nutrition-related activities will be temporarily halted.
Laboratory analysis and disease outbreak surveillance will be limited, except for cases posing immediate public health risks. These operations, along with the emergency response center, will function at “a greatly reduced” capacity.
New drug approvals and other “regulatory submissions” requiring fees will be paused, as the FDA cannot process payments during a shutdown.
Many FDA and CDC operations will face delays and challenges, as even ongoing activities may be hindered by staff shortages or lack of resources.
