The Trump administration's presidential personnel office sent termination notices to members of the National Science Board on Friday, according to Dr. Robert B. Shpiner, a pulmonary specialist at UCLA.

Shpiner, who has practiced critical care medicine for 40 years, expressed concerns about the potential impact on public health surveillance systems. He referenced his experience as a young medical fellow in 1981, when he was among those who identified early cases of what would later be known as AIDS through reports in the Centers for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The National Science Board serves as the governing body for the National Science Foundation and advises the president and Congress on science policy matters. The board consists of 24 members appointed by the president for six-year terms.

Shpiner characterized the federal scientific infrastructure that enabled early detection of AIDS as fundamental to his medical practice over the past four decades. He suggested that changes to this system could affect the nation's ability to identify and respond to emerging health threats.

The timing and scope of the termination notices were not immediately clear from available information. The National Science Foundation and the White House have not yet provided details about the personnel changes or their reasoning.