The FDA reverses course on layoffs, rehiring dozens of food safety scientists after a massive staff reduction threatened the nation’s ability to protect consumers.
At a Glance
- Federal health officials have rehired several dozen food safety scientists who were recently fired from FDA labs
- Approximately 3,500 FDA jobs (20% of workforce) were eliminated under the Trump administration
- Officials are reviewing if other critical positions were inappropriately cut and need to be reinstated
- Some employees were inadvertently terminated due to inaccurate job classification codes
- FDA Commissioner Dr. Makary made contradictory public statements about the cuts
Scientists Return as Food Safety Concerns Mount
The Food and Drug Administration is quietly walking back a significant workforce reduction by rehiring dozens of scientists who were dismissed from the agency’s food-safety laboratories. This reversal comes amid growing concerns about the FDA’s ability to fulfill its core health protection mission after losing approximately 20 percent of its total workforce. The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the rehirings and has additionally reinstated employees in the Freedom of Information offices who were also affected by the cuts.
The job cuts, which eliminated around 3,500 positions across the FDA, have impacted various critical areas of food and drug safety. Officials are now conducting a comprehensive review to determine if other essential positions were improperly eliminated during the reduction. The rehiring effort focuses particularly on specialists who monitor food-related illness outbreaks and ensure product safety, including experts on infant formula safety – an area that faced serious challenges during the 2022 nationwide formula shortage.
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Confusion Over Cut Classifications
A significant factor behind these reversals appears to be administrative error. Agency officials have discovered that some employees were incorrectly terminated due to inaccurate job classification codes in the personnel system. This revelation stands in stark contrast to public statements made by FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, who had previously insisted that no scientific personnel were affected by the workforce reductions. The rehiring effort represents a tacit acknowledgment that essential scientific expertise was indeed lost.
Despite these claims, reports have confirmed that scientists were dismissed from various food and drug safety laboratories, including facilities in Puerto Rico and within the veterinary division. These laboratories perform essential testing to detect contaminants, foodborne pathogens, and other potential health hazards in the nation’s food supply. The contradictions between official statements and documented staff reductions have raised questions about transparency in the agency’s restructuring process.
Tobacco Division Scientists Remain Sidelined
While food safety scientists are being reinstated, those in the tobacco division who were dismissed in February have not been recalled to active duty. These employees remain on paid leave, highlighting inconsistencies in how workforce reductions have been managed across different FDA departments. The fate of these tobacco scientists remains uncertain as the agency continues its review of personnel decisions made during the broader workforce reduction.
“FDA scientists will be able to process samples of food and other products and to detect dangerous components, like heavy metals, with extraordinary sensitivity: in the parts-per-trillion range,”, said Dr. Amy Abernethy.
The restoration of scientific positions signals a recognition of the vital role these experts play in maintaining the agency’s capacity to respond to food safety emergencies and conduct essential regulatory functions. As the review continues, additional positions may be restored based on operational needs assessment and a more careful examination of each role’s contribution to the FDA’s core protective mission and statutory obligations regarding public health and food safety.
