The Washington Post reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) internally discussed a Trump administration directive regarding a list of 7 "forbidden terms": "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," "fetus," "evidence-based," and "science-based." 1 A spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), CDC's parent agency, issued a statement claiming that these terms were not banned but confirming and clarifying that they should be avoided in budgeting communications and CDC's funding requests to Congress. This reported "internal guidance" about preferred terms aligns with the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to skew scientific messaging by government agencies. This has ranged from removing references to, grants for, and funding for climate change research at the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and Interior Department 2 ; to more tightly controlling communications to the public by Department of Agriculture scientists studying subjects from pesticides to genetically modified food; to promoting the term sexual risk avoidance and funding abstinence-only sex education rather than promoting evidence-based best practices regarding safe sex.Even if it relates only to budget-related communications and funding requests to Congress, any suggested language restriction at CDC is alarming, and not just because of the potential for self-censorship. The mission statement of the CDC reads: "CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S." 3 In its "Pledge to the American People," which appears on the website next to the mission statement, CDC states that it will "provide an environment for intellectual and personal growth and integrity," "base all public health decisions on the highest quality scientific data that is derived openly and objectively," and "treat all persons with dignity, honesty, and respect." 3 It is impossible to appropriately practice medicine-or public health-without seeking evidence-based and science-based answers to questions about the health of a patient or a population. Beginning in medical school, and continuing throughout training and beyond, physicians are taught to use data to help guide our patients to make the best decisions regarding their health. The same principle applies to public-health practitioners.