The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hiring outside contractors to replace some staff who were fired or left after supporting safety inspections, including those who arranged international trips to remote pharmaceutical plants.
Dozens of employees were let go in the latest round of layoffs, which include personnel from the Office of Inspections and Investigations. The FDA has been struggling to ramp up inspections since a wave of long-time staff members resigned or retired during COVID-19.
The agency is seeking contractors to take over jobs that were previously performed by support staff, including booking travel, visas, and security for inspectors working in Asia and other regions. This move comes as the FDA faces criticism from unions and experts who warn that it could lead to further disruptions to safety inspections.
“We’re reducing their support,” said Howard Sklamberg, an attorney who previously served as the FDA’s top inspection and enforcement official. “The natural result is going to be fewer inspections.”
The agency claims the cuts are necessary for efficiency, but critics argue it will be costly and put human lives at risk. The FDA has not revealed how much contractors will cost or whether they will be more efficient.
With attrition outpacing hiring, the FDA still conducts 36% fewer inspections today than before the pandemic. Critics fear that the latest layoffs could lead to more departures among experienced inspectors due to a difficult work environment.
The agency had prepared plans for reducing staff without harming core functions, but these were not requested or presented to staff members who actually made the decisions. Many of the firings targeted positions and teams with words like “policy” and “regulation” in their titles.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/fda-inspections-job-cuts-food-safety-rfk-4e288add2f33c70ecc38ca2319fb5cd7