Kennedy Plans to Ax 10,000 Health Jobs in Federal Overhaul

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Image Caption: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated by President Trump as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, delivers testimony during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on January 30, 2025. — Reuters

In a significant announcement, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed plans for extensive reforms within federal public health agencies, which will include cutting 10,000 jobs and merging several departments, according to a report by Reuters.

This reorganization will impact major agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The job cuts will see approximately 3,500 positions eliminated from the FDA, 2,400 from the CDC, and 1,200 from the NIH. Together with recent voluntary departures, this will reduce the workforce of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from 82,000 employees to 62,000.

"Over time, bureaucracies like HHS can become wasteful and inefficient, even with a dedicated and skilled workforce," Kennedy remarked. "This reform aims to benefit both taxpayers and those served by HHS, which includes the entire American public. Our goal is to Make America Healthy Again."

This initiative aligns with President Trump’s ongoing campaign to streamline federal operations—a strategy also backed by billionaire Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency. Recently, Trump instructed all federal agencies to prepare for further job reductions, with the White House currently assessing these proposals.

While reorganizations of large bodies like HHS are not new, having taken place under both Republican and Democratic administrations, the scope of this initiative is unprecedented. Larry Levitt, a health policy expert at KFF, commented, "This is not merely a reorganization of HHS; it represents a drastic reduction in the federal workforce, which will ultimately have implications for government services."

Despite the anticipated layoffs, HHS assured that FDA inspectors and drug reviewers would remain unaffected. However, some experts caution that these cuts may lead to delays in the approval of drugs and medical devices. Additionally, the restructured agencies will form a new entity called the Administration for a Healthy America, focusing on issues like addiction, environmental health, and primary care.