Top U.S. drugs, tobacco regulator lay off employees as RFK Jr. reshapes the health agency

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began firing workers early Tuesday morning, including the highest regulator involved in drug and tobacco safety, as Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to a memo reported by Bloomberg.

The email from Tom Nagy, deputy assistant secretary of human resources, notified people of the termination was around 5 a.m. in Washington, D.C. According to two people familiar with the matter, including offices engaged in sexually transmitted diseases, global health and birth defects, cuts part or entire offices.

Employees affected by reduced mandatory notifications are immediately locked into the HHS computer system, which means that the work of the programs they run effectively stops and they are unable to communicate with their partners.

The layoffs are consistent with Kennedy’s March 27 announcement to cancel 10,000 employees from the agency’s workforce. Coupled with the voluntary departure through the acquisition program, the agency is expected to reduce its staff from 82,000 to 62,000 workers.

Peter Stein, a senior Food and Drug Administration official, is a commentator who is responsible for evaluating new drugs, according to an email reported by Bloomberg.

“I received an email indicating that I had been removed as OND director and had proposed a position in patient affairs – I have declined,” Stein wrote. The agency’s website said the New Drug Office reviewed the application and made an approval decision and was responsible for deciding whether the benefits of the drug outweighed the risks.

Stein’s departure was another major blow to the agency’s leadership after Peter Marks left, who is responsible for the FDA department that approved vaccines, insulin and complex injections.

In addition, the FDA’s chief tobacco regulator was removed from its position. “I shared my heart and deep disappointment,” wrote Brian King, a former director of the FDA’s Tobacco Products Center among employees acquired by Bloomberg Law.

According to people familiar with the cuts, it was also affected by the firing.

In addition to shrinking the workforce of the institutions, Kennedy is also working to reshape its structure by reducing almost half of the number of departments. These initiatives include the combination of HHS units focused on public health, drug abuse, mental health and occupational safety into a new entity called the Healthy U.S. Government. The department responsible for preparing for the pandemic HHS will be moved to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 1,000 employees as a result.

Drug and medical device staff, as well as food reviewers and inspectors, will profit from the cuts, HHS said.

Democrats slammed Kennedy’s plans, saying they would undermine services and undermine medical research.

“Their plans put lives in serious danger,” Washington Senator Patty Murray told reporters the day after announcing the cuts.

With the assistance of Sophie Alexander, Ike Swetlitz and Nyah Phengsitthy.

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