Daily Summary
Major U.S. public health agencies are cutting thousands of jobs—including positions at HHS, CDC, FDA, NIH, and CMS—as part of a restructuring aimed at reducing expenses and reshaping focus. These widespread layoffs have resulted in significant disruptions, including the removal of key experts such as the FDA’s tobacco chief, and have raised concerns about diminishing public health oversight and research. At the same time, legal battles are brewing over restrictions on Medicaid-funded Planned Parenthood services, with broader implications for reproductive and other essential healthcare access across the nation.
Planned Parenthood’s Supreme Court Medicaid Challenge
The Supreme Court will hear a critical case on April 1, 2025, examining South Carolina’s policy to bar Medicaid recipients from using Planned Parenthood services. A ruling for South Carolina could lead other states to restrict funding, affecting access to essential healthcare services for many patients.
Major Job and Program Cuts Hit Top U.S. Health Agencies
Thousands of workers at major U.S. health agencies have been laid off, with cuts at the FDA, CDC, NIH, and CMS reducing HHS staffing by nearly 25% amid criticisms of inefficiency.
Mass Layoffs Hit U.S. Public Health Agencies Amid HHS Restructuring
The U.S. Health and Human Services Department has initiated mass layoffs affecting 20,000 positions as part of a restructuring plan aimed at saving $1.8 billion annually, impacting key public health agencies.
FDA tobacco official placed on administrative leave amid agency upheaval
FDA’s chief tobacco regulator, Brian King, has been placed on administrative leave amid sweeping workforce cuts that have left a significant leadership void, drawing criticism from former FDA head Robert Califf. The agency now faces major challenges as it undergoes transformative changes under new commissioner Marty Makary.