The Trump administration's efforts to reduce the federal workforce have reached the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with recently hired employees across various departments, including food safety, medical devices, and tobacco products, being terminated. This move, part of a broader plan by the Department of Health and Human Services to dismiss 5,200 probationary employees, raises concerns about the FDA's ability to maintain its crucial oversight functions.
The Trump administration's efforts to reduce the federal workforce have reached the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) this weekend. Recently hired employees responsible for evaluating the safety of food ingredients, medical devices , and other products were terminated. Probationary employees across the FDA received notifications Saturday evening that their positions were being eliminated, according to three FDA staff members who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The exact number of positions eliminated remained unclear on Sunday, but the firings appeared focused on employees within the agency's centers for food, medical devices, and tobacco products, encompassing oversight of electronic cigarettes. It is uncertain if FDA employees who review drugs were exempt from these layoffs.On Friday, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced plans to dismiss 5,200 probationary employees across its agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Individuals who spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity on Friday indicated that nearly 1,300 probationary employees would be laid off at the CDC. However, as of early Sunday afternoon, approximately 700 individuals had received termination notices, according to three separate sources who spoke anonymously. They stated that none of the CDC layoffs affected the young doctors and researchers who track diseases within the known as the Epidemic Intelligence Service.The FDA, headquartered in the Maryland suburbs outside Washington, employs nearly 20,000 people. It has long been a target of newly appointed Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., who last year accused the agency of waging a 'war on public health' for failing to approve unproven treatments like psychedelics, stem cells, and chelation therapy. Kennedy has also advocated for eliminating thousands of chemicals and colorings from US foods. However, the cuts at the FDA include staff responsible for reviewing the safety of new food additives and ingredients, according to an FDA staffer familiar with the firings. An HHS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday afternoon. Nearly half of the FDA's $6.9 billion budget originates from fees paid by companies the agency regulates, including drug and medical device manufacturers. This allows the agency to hire additional scientists to expedite product reviews. Eliminating these positions will not result in reduced government spending.A former FDA official expressed concern that cutting recent hires could have negative consequences, potentially eliminating staff who tend to be younger and possess more up-to-date technical skills. The FDA's workforce predominantly consists of older workers who have dedicated one or two decades to the agency. The Government Accountability Office noted in 2022 that the FDA 'has historically faced challenges in recruiting and retaining' staff due to more lucrative opportunities in the private sector. 'You want to bring in new blood,' stated Peter Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner under President George W. Bush. 'You want people with new ideas, greater enthusiasm, and the latest thinking in terms of technology.' Mitch Zeller, former FDA director for tobacco, commented that the firings are a tactic to 'demoralize and undermine the spirit of the federal workforce.' 'The combined effect of what they're trying to do is going to destroy the ability to recruit and retain talent,' Zeller added. The FDA's inspection force has been particularly strained in recent years following a wave of departures during the Covid-19 pandemic, and many of the agency's current inspectors are recent hires. It is unclear whether those employees were exempted from the terminations. FDA inspectors are responsible for overseeing thousands of food, drug, tobacco, and medical device facilities worldwide. However, the AP reported last year that the agency faced a backlog of approximately 2,000 uninspected drug facilities that hadn't been visited since before the pandemic. The agency's inspection force has also been criticized for not moving swiftly enough to address recent issues involving infant formula, baby food, and eyedrops.
FDA Trump Administration Layoffs Federal Workforce Robert Kennedy Jr. Food Safety Medical Devices Tobacco Products Health Secretary Government Spending
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