FDA Drug Databases Falter After DOGE-Driven Layoffs, Raising Safety Concerns

Key Food and Drug Administration drug safety and manufacturing databases are falling into disrepair following mass layoffs ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), according to current and former FDA officials. Health experts warn the missing and outdated information is putting patients at risk.

“It’s really a nightmare,” one FDA official told Axios, citing workforce reductions under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that have left databases unstaffed and unmaintained. Resources such as the National Drug Code Directory and Drug Registration and Listing Database are missing labeling information or have been delayed in updates.

The disruptions follow an April 1 wave of job cuts, with more set for June 2. Officials say even urgent consumer alerts are now slowed by a new Trump administration requirement that all FDA communications go through a central HHS system.

Researchers and clinicians rely on these databases to track drug approvals, dosing, side effects, and manufacturing details. Experts warn that outdated information threatens drug transparency and public safety.

Sources

• Axios – MBFC Rating