In the recent executive order titled “Reducing Anti-Competitive Regulatory Barriers,” President Trump directed the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to identify anticompetitive federal regulations for possible deletion or revision.
In response to that order, FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson submitted a report to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on September 17, 2025, recommending the deletion or modification of more than 125 regulations.
According to Chair Ferguson’s letter transmitting the report, the FTC focused on identifying unnecessary federal regulations that excluded new market entrants, protected dominant incumbents, or predetermined economic winners and losers. To fulfill its duties, the FTC sought input from agency heads and the U.S. Department of Justice in developing a list of regulations that warranted consideration for possible deletion or revision.
Because the list is not yet publicly available, it is unclear whether any federal health care regulations have been identified. However, based on available information, some concerning regulations that Chair Ferguson included on his initial list were the following:
- U.S. Department of Education regulations that limit students’ ability to save money by purchasing their textbooks via alternative means
- Proposed U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission regulations that would require the use of finger-detection technology on table saws
- A Forest Service handbook that establishes eligibility requirements for certain grazing permits that inhibit the entry of a younger generation of ranchers
Chair Ferguson’s report is now being reviewed by the OMB.
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