The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) experienced staff reductions this weekend as probationary employees, including those responsible for reviewing the safety of food ingredients and medical devices, were terminated, The Associated Press reports.
The move comes amid broader efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
According to FDA staffers speaking anonymously, termination notices were issued to probationary employees across various departments, including the centers for food, medical devices, and tobacco products. The total number of positions eliminated is currently unclear.
Earlier in the week, some officials anticipated that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the FDA, would lay off approximately 5,200 probationary employees across its agencies. Sources also indicated potential layoffs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), though the number of notices issued there was lower than initially expected and did not affect the Epidemic Intelligence Service.
The FDA, with a workforce of nearly 20,000, has faced scrutiny regarding its regulatory processes. The agency’s inspection force has been particularly strained in recent years, experiencing increased workloads.
