Trump Administration Launches Mass Layoffs at CDC, FDA, HHS

What: Mass layoffs happened throughout the federal health agencies today, including several entire offices within the CDC and FDA. Some internal agencies that closed focused on older adults, people with disabilities, minority health, gun violence, sexual assault, and HIV. Another notable loss is the FDA’s top tobacco regulator, Brian King, which ignited concerns about the enforcement of tobacco regulations and efforts to prevent smoking-related issues.

Key Line: “Robert Califf, a former FDA commissioner during the Obama administration, said Tuesday in a post on LinkedIn that the agency ‘as we’ve known it is finished,’ and he predicted the loss of institutional knowledge would be ‘a huge mistake.'”

Source: USA TODAY