• Posted April 3, 2026

Some CDC Lab Testing Paused Amid Internal Review

FRIDAY, April 3, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has paused more than two dozen types of lab tests.

Officials said the move is temporary.

The explanation?

"A routine review to uphold our commitment to high quality laboratory testing," Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said.

"We anticipate some of these tests will be available through CDC labs again in the coming weeks," he added.

The pause includes testing for a variety of diseases.

Some tests can be handled by commercial labs, such as viruses like chickenpox, shingles and Epstein-Barr.

Others are more specific, including testing for rare parasitic infections and the virus that causes "sloth fever," The Associated Press reported.

Some experts say it isn't clear why so many tests are being paused.

Scott Becker, chief executive officer of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, told The Associated Press this isn’t the first time the CDC has paused some lab testing. 

But, he added, it is pausing more tests than ever, and it’s not clear why. Becker said it might owe to recent staffing cuts.

Staffing at the CDC has plummeted by 20% to 25% over the past year, due to layoffs, retirements and other changes, The Associated Press said.

Some labs were hit especially hard. Rabies and poxvirus labs lost about half their staff, according to experts, and the malaria branch saw even deeper cuts.

State labs may be able to help fill some gaps, though. Sites in New York and California may be able to handle certain tests until CDC services resume, Becker said.

More information

Learn more at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's test directory.

SOURCE: The Associated Press, April 1, 2025