During President's Day Weekend, Job Terminations Occur at Departments Under the HHS Umbrella
In the wake of President Trump's re-election, his administration has kicked off a pledge to purge thousands of employees from various agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Among these agencies are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
An estimated 5,200 probationary workers have received unwelcome letters, stating that they no longer fit their respective agencies' current needs. This is part of a larger wave of federal workforce reductions, designed to trim down the federal size. This process is being overseen by President Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency task force.
Friday, approximately 1,300 individuals who make up the most recent class of hires at the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) received dismissal notices. Known as "disease detectives," EIS officers investigate new threats such as anthrax, Ebola, and bird flu. Nearly half of the CDC's EIS officers are impacted by these cuts.
At CMS, staff members who handled Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange oversight are among those laid off. However, specific figures regarding which other CMS workers are affected remain unclear.
Similar cuts have occurred at NIH, although it's unclear which specific divisions are facing the brunt of these restructuring efforts. Concerns have been raised about potentially pausing infectious disease programs and letting go up to 600 workers at the NIH.
The FDA has also experienced staff reductions, with the food, medical device, artificial intelligence, and tobacco divisions being hit hardest. Notably, Kennedy criticized the FDA nutritional department, mentioning that it "needs to go" and was not adequately protecting children.
As of now, prescription drug approval applicant handlers seem to be the only FDA employees "spared," although it's uncertain whether this will last.
The National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services staff reductions occur before their respective heads' confirmation by the Senate. This suggests that the terminations are occurring without their formal input.
These mass firings and agencies' restructuring efforts align with the broader Republican agenda, with critics raising concern over possible public health consequences and the impact on millions of Americans, potentially leaving them without health insurance.
RFK Jr., a prominent critic of the FDA, expressed concern over the agency's nutritional department, suggesting it needed significant improvement and was not effectively protecting children.
The Department of Health and Human Services, under President Trump's administration, has initiated a wave of dismissals and probationary employee warnings, affecting agencies such as CDC, NIH, FDA, and CMS.
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency task force is overseeing the federal workforce reductions, which includes the termination of about 5,200 probationary employees.
Despite the firings, the handlers responsible for handling prescription drug approval applications at the FDA seem to have been spared from layoffs as of now.
CMS has let go of staff members who handled Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange oversight, but exact figures regarding the number of affected employees remain unclear.
Amidst the staff reductions at NIH, concerns have been raised about potentially halting infectious disease programs and dismissing approximately 600 workers.
The mass firings and restructuring efforts across CDC, NIH, FDA, and CMS are taking place before their respective heads' confirmation by the Senate, suggesting that these terminations are happening without their formal input.
