HPAI testing improvements suspended after HHS staffing cuts

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is suspending efforts to improve testing for highly pathogenic avian influenza due to staffing cuts throughout the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a Reuters report.

April 7, 2025

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is suspending efforts to improve testing for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) due to staffing cuts throughout the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to a Reuters report.

The Interlaboratory Comparison Exercise for Detecting Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was set to launch later this month but was suspended last week because of cuts to staff at the FDA’s Human Food Program that would have supported the scientific and testing needs of the program, according to an email seen by Reuters.

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