The mass firings at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that began over the weekend continue, though it's not yet clear how many employees have been dismissed as part of the Trump administration's efforts to cut the federal workforce, or how many more will be losing their jobs in the coming days.
The dismissals, which began late last week and targeted probationary employees, have hit large swaths of health professionals across the 13 divisions that operate under HHS. The New York Times reports that the toll includes 1,200 employees dismissed from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), while National Public Radio reports that 750 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received termination letters over the weekends. Probationary employees include recent hires or longer-serving staff who recently began new positions.
The cuts also hit probationary employees at Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who review food ingredients, medical devices, and other products, according to the Associated Press, though the number of employees dismissed was unclear. Other affected divisions include the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Politico reports.
Dismissals could top 5,000
The AP and other outlets reported last week that as many as 5,200 probationary employees across HHS could be dismissed, based on audio from a meeting of NIH officials. CDC leadership had told staff that an estimated 1,300 employees—roughly 10% of the agency's workforce—would be losing their jobs.
Among the programs that have been affected by the cuts, according to reporting by Stat, is the CDC's Public Health Associate's Program, a 2-year paid training program that assigns trainees to state, tribal, local, and territorial public health agencies to gain hands-on experience. NBC News reports roughly two dozen employees from CDC's Laboratory Leadership Service were dismissed, and the Washington Post reports that the cuts included scientists working on outbreak investigations involving skunk rabies, dengue fever, and Oropouche virus.
Layoffs do not appear to have occurred yet at another program that was reportedly on the chopping block, the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service, whose staff members are known as "disease detectives." In addition, layoffs of nearly 1,000 employees from the Indian Health Service were quickly rescinded, according to Native News Online.
In response to a query about the cuts from CIDRAP News, an HHS spokesman did not provide an estimate of how many employees have been dismissed but said the agency was "following the Administration's guidance and taking action to support the President's broader efforts to restructure and streamline the federal government."
"This is to ensure that HHS better serves the American people at the highest and most efficient standard," HHS communications director Andrew Nixon said in an email.
Cuts could harm public health across the US, experts warn
Reaction to the dismissals, and what they could mean for public health now and in the future, has been swift.
Among those critical of the cuts is the American Public Health Association (APHA), which advocates for public health policies and programs at the federal and state levels. Susan Polan, PhD, APHA's associate executive director for public affairs and advocacy, said the impact on public health is "potentially dramatic," especially at when the nation is experiencing an H5N1 avian flu outbreak in poultry and dairy cattle, rising measles cases in Texas, and a tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas
"We are losing people on the front lines trying to keep people healthy," Polan told CIDRAP News. "At the same time, we're losing the years of experience that exist in these agencies."
Polan added that the cuts will have a ripple effect on public health response across the country. "We need these federal agencies that work with states and with communities to understand where disease is, how to prevent it, and how to react," she said. "Without these people who are working on the ground all around the country, the impact is going to be felt in communities all around the country."
Polan said she's also concerned that the dismissals are going to further erode interest in the public health profession, which has already seen an exodus of professionals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic amid an overwhelming workload and public animosity over the pandemic response. That will also be felt beyond the beltway, she noted.
"These are the folks who go on to be leaders in state and local health departments and the corporate world," Polan said. "If we start shutting down this pipeline, especially at a time when we're starting to see rising interest in public health among students, we're going to see that turn off."
We are losing people on the front lines trying to keep people healthy....At the same time, we're losing the years of experience that exist in these agencies.
In a letter posted on LinkedIN, former CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, MPP, and former leaders of the CDC, FDA, NIH, ASPR, and other HHS divisions said the work of HHS employees is not just important to the health of the country but also vital for the nation's economic security. They noted that HHS employees are the people who make sure Americans' food and water are safe, run the health insurance programs that cover nearly half of all Americans, find cures and treatments for diseases like pediatric cancer, and detect and respond to infectious disease threats in communities around the country.
"The Trump Administration now has begun arbitrarily removing HHS staff from their positions, leaving no doubt that the health and well-being of families and communities across the country will suffer as a result," the letter states.
"These individuals are not numbers on a spreadsheet. They are dedicated and passionate public servants who have committed their careers to working on behalf of the American people."
