HHS Layoffs Begin as RFK Jr. Restructures Federal Health Agencies

The Department of Health and Human Services has started issuing layoff notices to 10,000 employees, part of a broader overhaul consolidating agencies and raising concerns about public health and vaccine confidence.

The restructuring plan reduces HHS staffing by 25%, cutting 10,000 jobs through layoffs and eliminating 10,000 more positions via voluntary separations.
Key agencies impacted include the FDA, CDC, NIH, and CMS, with thousands of layoffs affecting public health capabilities and disease response efforts.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s leadership has faced criticism for promoting vaccine misinformation, with the resignation of FDA vaccine regulator Dr. Peter Marks intensifying concerns.
The overhaul consolidates agencies under the new Administration for a Healthy America, absorbing programs like addiction services and community health centers.
Market disruptions have followed, with vaccine manufacturers like Moderna and Novavax experiencing significant stock declines linked to the leadership changes and restructuring.