Trump administration ends support for Safe to Sleep program

The Trump administration has ended federal support for Safe to Sleep, a 30-year-old national campaign credited with saving thousands of infant lives, according to news reports from STAT and the Medill News Service.

The program, which worked to educate parents on reducing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), reportedly lost funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), halting its federal oversight.

Alison Jacobson, CEO of First Candle, a nonprofit partner in the campaign, described the move as absolutely devastating, especially as infant sleep-related deaths are climbing again. The elimination of this department is absolutely devastating as the rates of sudden unexpected infant death have begun to climb once again, Jacobson told reporters.

The concern is backed by recent data. A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that SIDSmortality rates, which had plateaued after significant declines in the 1990s, rose by nearly 12% between 2020 and 2022from 90 deaths to over 100 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Various factors involved

Experts say SIDS typically occurs when a vulnerable infantdue to factors such as prematurity, tobacco exposure in utero, or genetic predispositionsis exposed to modifiable environmental risks like sleeping on their belly or in a crib with soft bedding.

Dr. Rebecca Carlin, a pediatrician at New York Presbyterian, explained that while some vulnerabilities can’t be controlled, environmental risks can be reduced through safe sleep practices.

Michael H. Goodstein, MD, director of newborn medicine at WellSpan Health, emphasized that these deaths are “potentially preventable,” underscoring the importance of public health campaigns like Safe to Sleep. Experts also highlight the need for better data standards to distinguish and track sleep-related infant deaths more accurately, which would help identify babies at the highest risk.

With the termination of federal involvement, advocates fear setbacks in public awareness and safe sleep practices, potentially endangering vulnerable infants across the country.