Overview
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun implementing a 25% workforce reduction, with 10,000 employees laid off and 10,000 more leaving through early retirements or resignations.
- The restructuring consolidates 28 divisions into 15, introduces the new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), and aims to save $1.8 billion annually.
- Entire divisions, including those focused on HIV/AIDS, environmental health, and tobacco control, have been eliminated, raising concerns about the nation's ability to address public health crises.
- High-profile leaders, such as Jeanne Marrazzo of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, were reassigned or placed on leave, contributing to what experts call a 'brain drain' of institutional knowledge.
- Lawmakers and public health experts have criticized the layoffs for their lack of transparency and potential to weaken drug approvals, disease prevention, and emergency preparedness.