HHS Lays Off 10,000 Federal Health Workers at NIH, FDA, and CDC in RFK Jr. Restructuring

Following the Supreme Court’s decision authorizing federal workforce reductions, HHS officially laid off approximately 10,000 employees at the National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The restructuring consolidated 28 divisions into 15 under HHS Secretary RFK Jr.’s direction.

The layoffs gutted the nation’s public health infrastructure, eliminating scientists, researchers, and regulatory staff with decades of institutional knowledge. NIH lost researchers working on cancer, Alzheimer’s, and infectious disease treatments. FDA lost drug and food safety reviewers. CDC lost epidemiologists and disease surveillance specialists.

Total planned cuts reached 20,000 positions, with the July layoffs representing the first wave. HHS characterized the restructuring as eliminating bureaucratic redundancy, but critics noted the cuts targeted scientific and regulatory functions rather than administrative positions.

The mass layoffs represented the culmination of Kennedy’s long-standing hostility to public health institutions. Former officials warned the cuts would take years to reverse, as scientific expertise cannot be quickly replaced. The timing—during summer when oversight attention was minimal—drew criticism from transparency advocates.