The US Department of Human Health and Human Services began dismissing employees on the morning of Tuesday, including high regulators responsible for the safety of drugs and tobacco. The measure is part of the new management of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which is implementing significant changes in the agency.
Emails sent by the Deputy Secretary of Human Resources, Tom Nagy, informing about the layoffs began to be distributed around 5 am in Washington, DC. Some areas or even whole offices were cut, including those dealing with sexually transmitted diseases, global health and birth defects.
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Employees affected by workforce reduction notification were immediately blocked from HHS computer systems, effectively interrupting work in programs that managed and making communication with partners difficult.
The layoffs are aligned with a plan announced by Kennedy on March 27, which aims to eliminate 10,000 jobs at the agency. Combined with voluntary exits through purchase programs, this initiative should reduce the total number of employees from 82 thousand to 62 thousand.
Among those fired is Peter Stein, a high employee of the Food and Medicines Administration (FDA), who supervised the reviewers responsible for evaluating new medicines. In an email, Stein reported: “I received a communication stating that I was removed from the position of director of the Ond and offered a position on the patient’s matters, which I refused.” The office of new medicines is responsible for reviewing applications and making approval decisions, deciding whether the benefits of medicines exceed the risks, as indicated on the agency’s website.
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Stein’s departure represents a new blow to the agency’s leadership, which had already lost Peter Marks, responsible for dividing the FDA that approves complex injecting vaccines, insulin and medicines.
In addition, the main FDA tobacco regulator was also removed from its function. Brian King, director of the FDA tobacco product center, reported in an email to employees: “It is with a heavy heart and deep disappointment that I inform you that I was placed on administrative license.”
Most of the FDA press office was also affected by layoffs, according to sources near the cuts.
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In addition to reducing the number of employees, Kennedy is reformulating the agency’s structure, reducing the number of divisions by almost 50%. These changes include the merger of HHS units focused on public health, substance abuse, mental health and occupational safety in a new entity called administration for a healthy America. The HHS division responsible for pandemic preparation will be transferred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the relocation of 1,000 employees.
HHS said drug workers and medical devices, as well as food reviewers and inspectors, are exempt from cuts.
Democrats have criticized Kennedy’s plans, claiming that they can destabilize essential services and compromise medical research. Senator Patty Murray of Washington said: “Their plan is putting lives at serious risk,” during a press conference the day after the dismissal announcement.
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