Over the weekend, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) faced workforce reductions as part of broader federal efforts, impacting staff responsible for crucial safety reviews.
The Trump administration’s decision to streamline federal operations has reached the FDA, resulting in the termination of probationary employees hired for evaluating the safety of food ingredients, medical devices, and tobacco products. Those affected by the layoffs received notifications on Saturday evening, although the full scope of job cuts remains unclear.
Notably, the reductions seem to target employees in key divisions overseeing food safety, medical devices, and tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes. It is uncertain whether staff involved in drug assessment have been spared. On the preceding Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced intentions to lay off approximately 5,200 probationary workers across its agencies, a move that includes the FDA, National Institutes of Health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to undisclosed sources, the CDC’s layoffs are expected to involve nearly 1,300 employees. However, by early Sunday, roughly 700 CDC employees had received termination notices. Importantly, the CDC layoffs apparently do not impact the Epidemic Intelligence Service, which consists of young doctors and researchers focused on disease tracking.
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The FDA, based in Maryland and employing around 20,000 people, faces criticism from figures like Robert Kennedy Jr. Advocating for reducing unapproved treatments and certain chemicals in foods, Kennedy argues that the agency engages in practices detrimental to public health. The recent cuts, however, include vital staff tasked with evaluating new food additives and ingredients, potentially exacerbating existing challenges in recruitment and retention.
A significant portion of the FDA’s budget, nearly 50%, is sourced from fees paid by regulated companies, enabling the agency to employ extra scientists for efficient product reviews. A former FDA official highlighted that eliminating recently hired personnel might undermine the agency’s ability to integrate newer talent equipped with modern skills. The current workforce predominantly consists of longer-tenured employees, which the Government Accountability Office previously characterized as a challenge given higher salaries available in the private sector.
Peter Pitts, an ex-FDA associate commissioner, emphasized the importance of recruiting new talent, citing the value of fresh perspectives and contemporary technological understanding. Similarly, Mitch Zeller, former FDA tobacco director, expressed concerns that such wide-reaching workforce reductions could demoralize federal employees and hinder talent acquisition and retention efforts.
The FDA’s inspection team, already challenged by pandemic-related attrition, is crucial for monitoring numerous facilities worldwide. There is no current indication as to whether these inspectors are affected by the cuts. Nevertheless, historical inspection backlogs exist, with the AP reporting a significant number of unvisited drug facilities, some pending since before the pandemic.
Criticism has also been directed towards the FDA’s inspection force for perceived delays in addressing issues related to infant formula, baby food, and eyedrops. These staff reductions could potentially hamper the agency’s capacity to promptly identify and rectify such matters.
The recent workforce reductions at the FDA raise serious concerns about the agency’s capacity to safeguard public health effectively. As the FDA navigates these challenges, the need for strategic management and resource allocation becomes more crucial than ever to maintain comprehensive oversight of food and drug safety nationwide.
