Congress Presses HHS to Release CDC Study on Reusable Health Care Textiles

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release a long-awaited federal study examining the benefits and feasibility of expanding the use of reusable health care textiles.

The push follows a March 10, 2026, announcement from TRSA, the association representing the linen, uniform, and facility services industry. TRSA welcomed a congressional letter led by Representatives Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Glenn Grothman (R-WI), calling on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to release the completed 2024 study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) at the CDC.

According to former CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, the report was expected to be completed by August 2024 and released shortly afterward. However, the study has yet to be made public.

Reusable health care textiles include items such as surgical gowns, incontinence pads, and other linens designed to be hygienically cleaned and reused rather than discarded after a single use.

Industry leaders say the study could help inform policy decisions to strengthen the nation’s health care supply chains, particularly following shortages experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Six years ago, we learned a painful lesson that overreliance on single-use, disposable PPE [personal protective equipment] can put patients, providers, and our entire health care system at greater risk,” said TRSA president and CEO Joseph Ricci. “That’s especially true during national emergencies when PPE demand increases and global supply chains are stretched thin.”

Ricci said Congress originally requested the study to better understand whether reusable textiles could improve resilience and sustainability within health care systems.

“Congress requested this study to address the problems we’ve faced in the past, yet it still hasn’t been shared publicly,” Ricci said. “We urge HHS to release this study, so policymakers have the facts to better protect patients and providers in the future.”

The congressional request builds on earlier efforts to evaluate reusable textiles. In June 2023, members of Congress asked then-HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to study the potential benefits and feasibility of expanding the use of reusable health care textiles. In October 2023, Cohen informed lawmakers that NIOSH would conduct the study.

Additional research has also pointed to potential advantages of reusable health care textiles. In June 2024, the National Academies released findings from a workshop examining reusable health care textiles. The report concluded that reusable products can meet high standards for safety and quality while reducing waste, lowering costs, and improving supply-chain resilience.

The March 2026 congressional letter asks HHS not only to release the report but also to provide a timeline for its publication and brief lawmakers on related findings from the National Academies workshop.

Infection Control Today^® (ICT^®) reached out to Landsman’s office for comment but did not receive a response by press time.

Advocates say making the study public could help health care leaders and policymakers better evaluate whether expanding the use of reusable textiles could improve preparedness for future public health emergencies while maintaining infection prevention standards.