STAT+: RFK Jr. brings FDA under tighter control with HHS workforce cuts

WASHINGTON — Around 3,500 employees are on the chopping block at the Food and Drug Administration, but they don’t yet know who they are. 

The Health and Human Services Department on Thursday announced a sweeping plan to cut 10,000 jobs and consolidate operations across its sub-agencies. FDA drug, medical device, or food reviewers and inspectors will not be among those fired, according to an HHS fact sheet. Instead, the cuts will target employees working on policy, human resources, information technology, procurement, and communications. The administration will start sending notices to employees on Friday, with the terminations coming into effect on May 27. 

The sparing of FDA reviewers may put some industry leaders at ease, but other FDA experts are concerned that firing the thousands of employees supporting their work will make it more difficult for the agency to promote innovation and protect public health. The layoffs will shrink the FDA by almost 20%.

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