The Trump administration has terminated several staff members involved in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) bird flu response as part of sweeping layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to the American Veterinary Medical Association and a source familiar with the situation.
On Tuesday, many employees were informed of their dismissal while attempting to enter their workplaces, only to be denied access.
The reductions have affected a wide range of professionals, including researchers, scientists, medical experts, support staff, and senior officials. As a result, the federal government has lost key figures who have played crucial roles in shaping U.S. policies on drug approvals, medical research, and public health, according to Reuters.
The HHS workforce will be reduced by nearly a quarter, including 10,000 layoffs and another 10,000 employees leaving through early retirement or voluntary separation. Most of these positions are based in Washington, D.C., though some are in Atlanta, home to the CDC, and in smaller offices across the country.
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency is working to reduce the HHS workforce from 82,000 to 62,000, impacting several key agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the FDA, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as reported by NBC News.
The job cuts are part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s larger initiative to overhaul the U.S. public health system and dismantle established institutions. Kennedy had previously announced plans to eliminate 10,000 positions across various health agencies. After the layoffs began on Tuesday, Kennedy took to social media to celebrate the event, declaring, "The revolution begins today!"
Welcome @US_FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary and @NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. Let’s restore @HHSgov health agencies to their rich tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science to tackle the chronic disease epidemic and Make America Healthy Again. The revolution… pic.twitter.com/z25yaOsEuF
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) April 1, 2025
FDA Faces Severe Staff Reductions
The FDA, responsible for regulating medications, medical devices, tobacco, and food safety, will lose 3,500 employees, the Associated Press reported.
Layoffs on Tuesday impacted workers who review new drugs and medical implants, set policy for electronic cigarettes and tobacco products, and manage the agency's press office.
Senior leaders at the FDA, including the top tobacco regulator and several deputies, were also removed. Some senior officials at the FDA's drug and vaccine centers have also indicated they would leave after being offered reassignments to far-off locations.
Among those who were fired were leadership and administrative staff at the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, including those focused on bird flu, food safety for both animals and humans, and other related matters.
In an email sent to staff on Tuesday, the laboratory program office acknowledged that the staff cuts at the center could lead to "significant challenges and delays."
Significant Job Losses At CDC
The CDC, which focuses on disease prevention related to infections, genetics, environmental hazards, and more, will face a reduction of approximately 2,400 positions.
Many of the layoffs are in areas focused on non-infectious diseases, such as asthma, smoking, gun violence, and climate change. Additionally, the CDC's programs on worker health have been severely impacted, and several senior directors were informed they would be placed on administrative leave and reassigned to other HHS divisions, including the Indian Health Service.
Many public health experts outside the agency see this as an attempt to force veteran CDC leaders into resignation.
NIH To Lose Research Experts
The NIH, which funds medical research into diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, and HIV, will lose 1,200 positions, adding to over 1,000 NIH employees already let go, including both scientists and staff managing research funding.
The administration has also canceled numerous NIH grants for scientists across the country. Several prominent NIH directors, including one well-known expert on HIV in women, have been placed on administrative leave. The NIH's focus on brain research, computer science, and communication has also been heavily impacted.
Medicare And Medicaid Services Affected
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act marketplace, will lose 300 jobs. The cuts have primarily affected departments like the Office of Minority Health, the Office of Equal Rights and Opportunity, and the Office of Program Operations & Local Engagement.
Employee Reactions: Chaos And Uncertainty
The layoff notices, which began going out late on Monday and continued through Tuesday morning, brought an end to days of uncertainty for many employees. Originally scheduled for Friday, the notices were delayed to allow for "triple-checking" the data. On Monday, staff members were advised to take their laptops home in case they were terminated overnight, losing access to campus facilities.
At the FDA, some employees, unaware of their termination, were denied entry to their offices on Tuesday morning. Employees outside the HHS building in Rockville, Maryland, were seen crying as they were turned away. Some employees also reported that the performance evaluations referenced in their termination notices were inaccurate.
Creation of New Entities
Federal health officials have indicated that some of the responsibilities of the eliminated or downsized departments may be transferred to a new entity, the Administration for Healthy America. The new agency will absorb functions from agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Health Resources and Services Administration, which manages programs related to HIV treatment.
Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson, assured the public that these cuts would not affect Medicare or Medicaid services, nor will they impact the FDA's drug, medical device, and food safety reviews.
