In an unprecedented move, the Trump administration has fired hundreds of federal workers responsible for tackling life-or-death public health issues. These employees were tasked with addressing critical challenges such as ensuring donor organs reach patients in need, regulating tobacco products to protect children, and reducing maternal and infant mortality. Their positions were created after years of legislative debate to address these pressing problems. However, this month’s mass firings have put the future of these public health missions in jeopardy.
Reports indicate that approximately 750 workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 1,000 at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), dozens at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and numerous employees at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been let go. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed intentions to dismantle parts of the FDA, suggesting entire departments should be eliminated. The administration has not clarified how many employees were dismissed but claims the removed workers were “not mission critical.”
Public health advocates warn of severe consequences. Susan Polan, associate executive director at the American Public Health Association, described the cuts as “unfathomable,” emphasizing their potential harm to public health. ProPublica spoke with dozens of affected workers, many of whom expressed concern about the fate of their unfinished work.
One example is Dustin Brace, a social scientist at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, who reviewed e-cigarette applications to ensure they did not appeal to children or pose safety risks. Despite his role being funded by tobacco industry fees rather than taxpayer dollars, Brace was among those terminated. He fears the loss of expertise will slow progress and increase errors.
Similarly, Arielle Kane, part of a CMS team working to improve maternal and infant health, was fired just months after launching a program aimed at reducing maternal mortality. The program sought to address racial disparities and expand access to care, but its future is now uncertain.
Amy Paris, hired to reform the nation’s organ procurement system, also lost her job. Her team had been working to modernize the system after investigations revealed failures that led to wasted donor organs. With half her team laid off, the initiative faces indefinite delays.
Critics argue that these cuts undermine decades of bipartisan efforts to safeguard public health. “We are hollowing out our government in a way that is going to hurt people and is going to get people killed,” Paris said.
— news from ProPublica