US Dempartment of Health announces major workforce cuts and restructuring

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will reduce its workforce by 10,000 positions as part of a broad restructuring effort, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Thursday. The cuts, combined with previous reductions, will bring the total job losses at HHS to approximately 20,000.

The department will also close half of its regional offices and establish a new agency, the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), aimed at addressing chronic disease. Kennedy stated that the restructuring is intended to streamline federal health agencies and refocus their mission.

HHS, one of the largest federal departments, oversees agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The planned cuts will impact 3,500 positions at the FDA, 2,400 at the CDC, 1,200 at the NIH, and 300 at the CMS, though the administration said critical functions like inspections and drug approvals would not be affected.

The restructuring has drawn criticism from some lawmakers and public health advocates, who argue that mass layoffs could disrupt essential health programs. Democratic Senator Edward Markey called the move a “catastrophe for public health,” while consumer advocacy group Public Citizen warned that reducing FDA staff could increase risks related to unsafe drugs and medical devices.

Reports indicate that funding freezes could jeopardize research in areas including pediatric cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. As the changes take effect, concerns remain about their potential impact on public health services and federally funded research.