Focus on the BIG picture.
Monday, Mar 31, 2025
Outside the box.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Announces Major Restructuring of US Public Health Agencies
Federal health workforce to undergo significant downsizing with nearly 20,000 positions cut.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), has revealed plans to significantly restructure federal public health agencies, which will include the reduction of approximately 20,000 staff members.
This announcement, which comes amidst ongoing efforts to streamline federal operations, comprises 10,000 job cuts, along with about 10,000 voluntary resignations, ultimately lowering the total number of full-time HHS employees from 82,000 to 62,000.
The job cuts breakdown includes 3,500 positions eliminated at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2,400 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and 1,200 at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The decision to reduce workforce numbers is part of a broader strategy to centralize operations among several key agencies, enabling HHS to manage functions such as communications, human resources, and policy planning more cohesively.
In his statement, Kennedy underscored the need for reforms, stating, "Over time, bureaucracies like HHS become wasteful and inefficient even when most of their staff are dedicated and competent civil servants." The restructuring initiative follows similar actions observed during previous administrations, highlighting an ongoing trend of reorganizing large government agencies.
As part of the restructuring, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, currently functioning as an independent agency with around 1,000 employees, will be integrated into the CDC.
Meanwhile, the NIH is expected to experience reductions across its 27 institutes and centers.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will see a relatively modest cut of about 300 positions.
Additionally, the restructuring will significantly streamline HHS operations by reducing the number of regional offices from ten to five and consolidating the existing 28 divisions into 15, which includes the establishment of a new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA).
The planned job reductions do not impact the roles of FDA inspectors and reviewers responsible for the evaluation of drugs, medical devices, or food products.
However, experts have expressed concerns that the cuts could lead to delays in the processing of drug and medical device applications, potentially hindering patient access to important treatments.
Current reports indicate that no further cuts are anticipated beyond this restructuring effort, as stated by the HHS department.
This announcement, which comes amidst ongoing efforts to streamline federal operations, comprises 10,000 job cuts, along with about 10,000 voluntary resignations, ultimately lowering the total number of full-time HHS employees from 82,000 to 62,000.
The job cuts breakdown includes 3,500 positions eliminated at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2,400 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and 1,200 at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The decision to reduce workforce numbers is part of a broader strategy to centralize operations among several key agencies, enabling HHS to manage functions such as communications, human resources, and policy planning more cohesively.
In his statement, Kennedy underscored the need for reforms, stating, "Over time, bureaucracies like HHS become wasteful and inefficient even when most of their staff are dedicated and competent civil servants." The restructuring initiative follows similar actions observed during previous administrations, highlighting an ongoing trend of reorganizing large government agencies.
As part of the restructuring, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, currently functioning as an independent agency with around 1,000 employees, will be integrated into the CDC.
Meanwhile, the NIH is expected to experience reductions across its 27 institutes and centers.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will see a relatively modest cut of about 300 positions.
Additionally, the restructuring will significantly streamline HHS operations by reducing the number of regional offices from ten to five and consolidating the existing 28 divisions into 15, which includes the establishment of a new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA).
The planned job reductions do not impact the roles of FDA inspectors and reviewers responsible for the evaluation of drugs, medical devices, or food products.
However, experts have expressed concerns that the cuts could lead to delays in the processing of drug and medical device applications, potentially hindering patient access to important treatments.
Current reports indicate that no further cuts are anticipated beyond this restructuring effort, as stated by the HHS department.
