7 words the CDC is reportedly banned from using include 'transgender' and 'science

Updated on 12/18/2017, 3:30 p.m. ET, with new details and a statement from the CDC.

Here are the words Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reportedly were told not to use in documents being prepared for next year's budget, according to an unnamed CDC analyst who talked to the Washington Post:

• vulnerable

• entitlement

• diversity

• transgender

• fetus

• evidence-based

• science-based

The analyst learned of the directive at a "meeting Thursday with senior CDC officials," the Postreported.

"In some instances, the analysts were given alternative phrases," reported the Post. "Instead of 'science-based' or 'evidence-based,' the suggested phrase is 'CDC bases its recommendations on science in consideration with community standards and wishes,' the person said. In other cases, no replacement words were immediately offered."

The New York Timessaid it "confirmed some details" of the Washington Poststory with several officials, but said "a few suggested that the proposal was not so much a ban on words but recommendations to avoid some language to ease the path toward budget approval by Republicans."

CDC director Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald issued this statement to Mashable via a spokesperson (emphasis ours):

The CDC remains committed to our public health mission as a science- and evidence-based institution, providing for the common defense of the country against health threats. Science is and will remain the foundation of our work.

As I have said previously, there are no banned, prohibited or forbidden words at the CDC—period.  I want to emphasize to anyone who may believe otherwise that we continue to encourage open dialogue about all of the important public health work we do. CDC has a long-standing history of making public health and budget decisions that are based on the best available science and data that benefits all Americans—and we will continue to do so. 

I understand that confusion arose from a staff-level discussion at a routine meeting about how to present CDC’s budget. It was never intended as overall guidance for how we describe and conduct CDC’s work.

For more than 70 years, CDC has pledged to the American people that we will treat all persons with dignity, honesty, and respect.  We take this pledge as seriously today as we did when it was written. 

The Washington Post updated its story with a CDC statement after it was published, but didn't alter the story's main assertion.

Whether the CDC was simply debating language to appease Republicans or was given a directive from the White House to ban certain words, the resulting uproar shows just how politicized federal science agencies have become under Trump.