U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to make the agency more effective to improve the health of the nation.
However, his restructuring plans may have just wiped out some crucial public health programs in the process, including one that helps to control illness outbreaks on cruise ships.
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A major overhaul of the agency that began with thousands of layoffs on April 1 axed a critical environmental health division that helps to protect public health. Cruise ship sanitation and illness outbreaks were among the many critical public health issues under the department’s domain.
Among the cuts made to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was the agency’s entire Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, according to a list obtained by Politico.
Along with initiatives that help to control issues like asthma and prevent childhood lead poisoning, the division manages the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) that conducts cruise ship inspections and tracks and investigates illness outbreaks.
With the recent uptick in cruise ship norovirus outbreaks, the loss of a program designed to prevent and control public health issues on cruise ships is concerning news for cruise passengers.
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Holland America Line has experienced multiple norovirus outbreaks on its ships in 2025.
Image source: Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
The Vessel Sanitation Program is vital for cruise passengers
Along with responding to outbreaks, the VSP inspects cruise ships to ensure they maintain public health standards in several key areas to help passengers and crew members stay healthy at sea.
Passengers can access information on illness outbreaks along with cruise ship inspection scores and reports on the CDC website. VSP inspection reports can be helpful sources of information for travelers planning a cruise, giving passengers insight into how well the cruise ship they choose to sail on maintains public health standards.
Related: Royal Caribbean takes action after nearly failing CDC inspection
Under the program, cruise ships are subject to two unannounced inspections each year. The CDC requires cruise ships to correct all violations observed and documented in its inspection reports. Ships also must submit corrective action statements for the deficiencies found.
Without the program, cruise lines would surely continue to work hard to maintain high standards, but it’s certainly possible that some cruise ship sanitation levels could slip.
Vessel Sanitation Program could be handled by another CDC division
In the wake of the mass HHS layoffs, Secretary Kennedy told ABC News that some public health programs were mistakenly cut and would be reinstated. Others could be handled by different divisions as the HHS restructures its agencies.
“We’re streamlining the agencies. We’re going to make it work for public health, make it work for the American people,” Kennedy told ABC News.
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“In the course of that, there were a number of instances where studies that should have not have been cut were cut, and we’ve reinstated them. Personnel that should not have been cut were cut — we’re reinstating them, and that was always the plan.”
As a follow-up to Kennedy’s comments, an HHS official told ABC News that the agency is “consolidating duplicate programs into one place.”
HHS has not yet provided details on how cut programs may continue in other sections of the CDC, but it’s possible that the Vessel Sanitation Program will be one of the programs moved to another area.
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