Among the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) employees to lose their jobs are those involved with the response to the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak, multiple media outlets have reported.
USA Today reported that two sources with firsthand knowledge said leadership and administrative staff at the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) part of the 140 staff members let go as part of a workforce reduction effort involving the agency that did employ 700 people.
The sources spoke under the condition of anonymity because of fears of retribution.
The CVM regulates animal medicines, as well as food and medical devices that have been used to protect poultry, people, pets and other farm animals from HPAI infections.
CBS reported that the layoffs included CVM senior veterinarians who had been overseeing HPAI response, which included pet illness complaints and recalls related to the virus. Those veterinarians were also reportedly involved with work related to antimicrobial resistance and investigations into contaminated animal feed.
In a statement released to USA Today, Dr. Sandra Faeh, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, said the personnel cuts would limit the agency's ability to oversee drug availability, antimicrobial resistance efforts, animal and human food safety, international trade and disease control ‒ which includes, but is not limited to, avian influenza.
“The work done by our veterinarian colleagues in these offices is critical to the safe and effective practice of veterinary medicine, and – ultimately – the protection of animal and public health,” Faeh said.
The FDA, under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has not publicly commented on these particular layoffs, but rather has referred reporters to an earlier issued press release and a “fact sheet.”
The fact sheet stated that the HHS workforce staff would be reduced from 82,000 to 62,000. It also stated that 28 HHS divisions would be consolidated to 15, and that the number of regional offices would be halved from 10 to five.
“The consolidation and cuts are designed not only to save money, but to make the organization more efficient and more responsive to Americans’ needs, and to implement the Make America Health Again goal of ending the chronic disease epidemic,” the fact sheet read.
The press release stated that the reduction in HHS workforce was in accordance with the executive order, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.”
