This past weekend, the Trump administration’s initiative to reduce the federal workforce impacted the Food and Drug Administration, leading to the termination of recently onboarded employees responsible for assessing the safety of food ingredients, medical devices, and various products.
According to three FDA employees who requested anonymity to speak with the Associated Press, probationary staff members received termination notices on Saturday evening.
While the exact number of positions cut remained unclear on Sunday, the layoffs seemed primarily aimed at workers in the agency’s divisions overseeing food, medical devices, and tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes. It was uncertain whether employees involved in drug evaluations were affected.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services unveiled plans to terminate 5,200 probationary employees across its various agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sources speaking with the AP under anonymity on Friday indicated that the CDC would see nearly 1,300 of its probationary employees laid off. However, by early Sunday afternoon, about 700 notifications had been issued, according to three individuals who spoke on the condition of anonymity. They also noted that the layoffs at the CDC did not impact medical professionals and researchers involved in the Epidemic Intelligence Service.
The FDA, located in the Maryland suburbs of Washington D.C., has a workforce of nearly 20,000. It has long been a target for newly appointed health secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., who, last year, accused the agency of conducting a “war on public health” by not sanctioning unverified treatments such as psychedelics, stem cell therapy, and chelation therapy.
Kennedy has also called for the removal of numerous chemicals and colorants from American food supplies. However, the layoffs at the FDA encompass staff responsible for evaluating the safety of new food additives and ingredients, as revealed by an FDA insider associated with the firings.
A spokesperson for HHS did not provide comments when requested on Sunday afternoon.
Around half of the FDA’s $6.9 billion budget is derived from fees from the companies it regulates, including those in the drug and medical device sectors, which allows the agency to recruit additional scientists for expedited product reviews. Cutting these positions will not decrease government expenditures.
A former FDA official remarked that the layoffs of newer hires could prove detrimental, diminishing the workforce of younger employees who possess contemporary technical skills. The FDA’s workforce is predominantly older, with many employees having spent one or two decades at the agency. The Government Accountability Office noted in 2022 that the FDA “has historically faced challenges in recruiting and retaining” staff due to more attractive compensation in the private sector.
“You want to inject fresh talent into the organization,” stated Peter Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner under George W. Bush. “New ideas, enthusiasm, and the latest technological developments are essential.”
Mitch Zeller, a former FDA director of tobacco, expressed concern that the firings serve to “demoralize and undermine the spirit of the federal workforce.”
“The cumulative impact of these actions will destroy the ability to attract and retain skilled talent,” Zeller stated.
Recently, the FDA’s inspection team has endured significant strain, particularly following numerous departures during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many of the current inspectors being relatively new hires. It was not immediately clear if these individuals were protected from layoffs.
FDA inspectors are tasked with ensuring compliance at thousands of food, drug, tobacco, and medical device facilities globally. However, the AP reported last year that the agency faced a backlog of about 2,000 drug facilities that remained uninspected since before the pandemic.
The agency’s inspection team has also faced criticism for its sluggish response to addressing recent issues relating to infant formula, baby food, and eye drops.
