FDA deals with worker shortage during job reductions: effects on food and drug safety.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced job cuts at the Health Department. He said safety inspectors for food and drugs would not be affected. But many who helped the inspectors are gone, like travel arrangers and lab scientists.

The FDA might hire contractors to replace some fired workers. This is because the FDA is having trouble with inspections. They lost staff during COVID-19, and new hires are hard to find due to job demands.

An attorney, Howard Sklamberg, said fewer support staff means fewer inspections. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said only communications and tech jobs were cut. But the cuts include 170 staff in the inspections office who handled travel and visas.

The union said the decision is reckless and risks lives. An HHS spokesperson said only administrative jobs were cut to make the agency efficient. Sklamberg thinks more inspectors will leave because of the bad environment.

The FDA is doing fewer inspections than before the pandemic. Senior leaders had plans to cut staff without hurting important work, but they weren't used. Many people in policy and regulation jobs were fired, along with food scientists and communication staff.