The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is facing a significant talent drain as low morale pushes more workers to leave the agency. The erosion of experienced staff has compromised the agency’s work, with three months after losing 3,500 employees – 19% of the workforce – the situation shows no signs of improvement.
Frustration among FDA employees stems from increased political involvement in regulatory decisions, cuts to administrative staff who supported drug reviews and inspections, and disregard for their expertise. This has led to missed review target dates and challenges in conducting inspections in foreign countries, where visa application processes are also being impacted by the loss of administrative staff.
Meanwhile, a draft trade accord between the US and Switzerland contains a provision that ensures Europe will receive preferred treatment in national-security investigations to avoid tariffs on pharmaceutical exports. The clause requires President Trump’s signature for formal approval, which is expected shortly after his endorsement. This deal is crucial for Swiss companies like Novartis and Roche, which rely heavily on the US market.
Source: https://www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2025/07/07/tariffs-trump-switzerland-fda-makary-kalvista-abpi-uk-alchem-antitrust-china