Mass Layoffs Hit FDA, CDC and Other Health Agencies

The Trump administration has initiated sweeping layoffs at key US health agencies, with approximately 10,000 federal health workers receiving dismissal notices on Tuesday. Security guards turned away employees at building entrances after they received termination emails, creating chaotic scenes outside health department offices.

The cuts have targeted the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health, raising concerns about the nation’s ability to respond to public health emergencies. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described the reductions as necessary to streamline what he called a “bloated bureaucracy,” with plans to reduce total headcount from 82,000 to 60,000 employees.

Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf warned in a LinkedIn post that the cuts have gutted institutional knowledge, stating “The FDA as we’ve known it is finished, with most of the leaders with institutional knowledge and a deep understanding of product development and safety no longer employed.”

The layoffs have specifically affected key positions monitoring food safety and drug approvals. Among those terminated were FDA staff handling bird flu response, the agency’s tobacco control division, and critical scientists reviewing new medications. At the CDC, entire divisions were eliminated, including a team that recently ran drills for nuclear and radiological incidents.

The cuts are a part of the Trump administration’s broader push to cut government spending through the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. Kennedy plans to consolidate the department’s 28 agency divisions into 15 new ones, including a new Administration for a Healthy America to implement his Make America Healthy Again agenda.

Critics, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have condemned the cuts as dangerous to public health. Experts warn that Americans will likely experience slower approval of new medications, fewer food safety inspections, and potential lapses in new medical products as essential review staff have been terminated.

Despite HHS claims that the restructuring will save taxpayers $1.8 billion annually, Washington DC and 23 states have sued the federal government over related cuts to public health funding, which reduced COVID-era support by $11 billion last month.


Information for this story was found via the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

Video Articles

TRX Gold Buckreef PEA: Mining Metals, Not Investors

Silver Catch-Up Time: Why the 7:1 Gold-Silver Ratio Matters [Summa-Silver47 Merger]

$8,900 Gold? Why Silver and Miners Could Outperform | Ronald-Peter Stöferle

Recommended

Steadright Signs MOU For TitanBeach Titanium Project In Morocco

Power Metallic Hits 10.99% Copper Equivalent Over 12.54 Metres At Lion Zone

Related News

BlackRock to Cut 600 Jobs As Company Reallocates Resources to Technology and ETFs

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has revealed plans to cut approximately 3% of its...

Thursday, January 11, 2024, 08:00:00 AM

Biogen Wins Approval with FDA for Alzheimer’s Drug

This morning Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) received approval from the FDA for their Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab. The...

Monday, June 7, 2021, 11:49:16 AM

DOGE Staffers Resign En Masse

21 employees quit Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency on Tuesday, citing a refusal to...

Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 02:07:00 PM

Albemarle, Perpetua Lead Mines List Fast-Tracked By Trump Administration

The Trump administration has fast-tracked more than two dozen mining projects under the FAST-41 permitting...

Monday, May 5, 2025, 12:50:00 PM

Trump Reopens Door for Japanese Takeover of US Steel

President Donald Trump directed national security officials on Monday to reconsider Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel‘s...

Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 03:32:00 PM