Massive Health Agency Layoffs Leave Experts Stunned: CDC, FDA, HIV, and Tobacco Offices Slashed

The Trump administration launched a sweeping downsizing of federal health agencies this week, with mass layoffs hitting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). DOGE plans to eliminate 10,000 positions within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a move the administration says is aimed at shrinking federal bureaucracy and saving taxpayer money.

So far, the impact has been immediate and widespread. Employees at HHS were required to present their badges at the door Tuesday morning. Those laid off were given a slip and told to leave the premises. The department plans to reduce its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000, according to internal documents.

Several critical offices were dismantled, including those dedicated to serving older adults, people with disabilities, HIV prevention, minority health, and tobacco control. The CDC’s tobacco prevention office, which plays a central role in monitoring youth smoking and countering marketing from tobacco companies, has been especially hard-hit. The FDA’s tobacco center saw dozens of staff, including its chief regulator, removed, halting progress on initiatives like curbing teen vaping and lowering nicotine in cigarettes.

Meanwhile, the CDC’s Global Health Center and its Office on Smoking and Health were both downsized. Public health leaders say these cuts could diminish decades of work in disease prevention and surveillance, calling the move a significant win for the tobacco industry.

Also affected were teams responding to ongoing outbreaks like bird flu. Staff in the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, which supports the nation’s bird flu response through vaccine approvals and monitoring of animal food, were let go. This comes as bird flu continues to spread across the U.S., killing over 168 million birds and raising food prices. Human infections are on the rise, with at least 70 confirmed cases and one death in Louisiana.

House Democrats have launched an investigation into Secretary Kennedy’s handling of the bird flu crisis, calling his approach “irresponsible.” Lawmakers are demanding details on how HHS will continue managing outbreaks while slashing critical staff.

Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf warned that the agency has lost much of its institutional knowledge, predicting the cuts could have long-term consequences for drug and food safety. He called the wave of firings a mistake that could be difficult to undo.

States are now pushing back. A coalition of 23 Democratic-led states and D.C. have filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s attempt to claw back $11 billion in COVID-era grants. Those funds had been earmarked for disease prevention, mental health support, and addiction treatment.