The Trump administration has begun workforce reductions at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), terminating probationary employees responsible for reviewing food ingredients, medical devices, and other products. On Saturday, multiple FDA staffers received notices of job eliminations, particularly within the centers for food, medical devices, and tobacco products.
The layoffs are part of a broader Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative, which plans to dismiss 5,200 probationary employees across agencies including the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As of Sunday, nearly 700 CDC employees had received layoff notices, with an estimated total of 1,300 expected.
Newly appointed HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. has been a vocal critic of the FDA, accusing the agency of blocking unproven treatments and allowing harmful chemicals in food. Critics argue that removing newly hired staff could weaken the agency’s ability to review products efficiently. An HHS spokesperson has yet to comment on the cuts.
Sources
- Associated Press
- MBFC Rating: Left-Center, High Credibility
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