Experts: FDA staff worried about unfinished work, keeping their jobs

Reports of impending layoffs, a buyout offer to federal workers, and a return to office mandate have put a damper on morale among staff at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Experts and former FDA officials who spoke to Focus said that FDA staff are more concerned about meeting user fee review goals and completing essential tasks, though some are anxious about losing their jobs and have begun looking for opportunities in the private sector.

These insights come from three former FDA officials with strong connections to the agency, who discussed the potential impact of a reported plan by the Trump administration to significantly reduce staffing at federal health agencies. According to a report last week in The Wall Street Journal, thousands of federal health employees could be terminated, though the White House denied that it was preparing an executive order mandating such cuts.

However, on Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order mandating that agency heads “coordinate and consult with [the Department of Government Efficiency] DOGE to shrink the size of the federal workforce and limit hiring to essential positions.”

The White House also said that agencies must “undertake plans for large-scale reductions in forced and determine which agency components (or agencies themselves) may be eliminated or combined because their functions aren’t required by law.”

The experts also addressed reports of a memo addressing probationary workers and a return-to-office mandate.

Staffers concerned about missing user fee goals

Robert Pollock, a senior advisor at Lachman Consultants, said that FDA employees are more concerned about failing to approve medical products on time than about losing their jobs.

“It is really interesting that people know they may lose their jobs yet the first thing they say is, ‘Yeah besides that, who is going to get the work done? How are we going to meet our user fees goals?’ That tells you something of the character of the people who are working there,” Pollock said.

Peter Pitts, president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest and former FDA associate commissioner, concurred. “Right now, what I am hearing from people inside the FDA at very senior levels is they just want to work and push the pedal to the medal and just do their jobs. He added that employees would be “frustrated” if they are restrained “from being able to do what they love to do. These are the people you want to keep.”

Howard Sklamberg, a partner at the law firm Arnold and Porter said that employees at the agency are “apprehensive and worried.” Sklamberg previously held various roles at FDA, including deputy associate commissioner in the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) and director of the Office of Compliance (OC).

Pollock agreed, stating that reports of staff reductions are hurting staff morale. “Just think, if your organization told you may lose your job next week … how would your morale be? And that is basically what is happening.” Pollock was the former acting deputy director of the Office of Generic Drugs.

However, Sklamberg said reactions are different and depends on where people are in their careers. “If people are close to retirement age anyway, and some people are at the age where something like an early out, if it is offered, might appeal to them.”

He added that FDA employees who decide to move to the private sector can do well, given their technical skill set.

Pollock said that his consultancy has received a number of inquiries from people at FDA “we have had a number of inquiries about job openings at Lachman.”

Sklamberg said a 10% cut would disproportionately affect programs funded through the appropriations process yet would not affect programs that are funded by user fees, such as new drug and device reviews. This could have an outsize effect on funding pharmacy compounding activities, import enforcement, food safety inspections, and inspections that are not associated with a user fee-funded application.

‘Buzzsaw’ approach

Pitts advised that any efforts to trim the FDA’s budget should be measured and deliberate, rather than haphazard.

“I do not believe you can use a buzzsaw to an agency that needs pruning, FDA has a very highly trained and capable workforce. The people who work there care deeply about their jobs and the public health mission,” Pitt said.

Instead, he said that now is the time for FDA leadership to be proactive and “develop a plan for doing a better job and that does not mean less staff. It means better staff in more important places.”

He added that “now is the time for the deep [and] creative thinking, now is not the time to sit on your hands and hope that if you hold your eyes tight it will go away.”

Pitts also said a reported directive calling for officials to review staff within probationary periods for those who are deemed nonessential could backfire.

“The main issue with firing probationary employees is that it is often discussed as an easier option. However, the problem with this approach is that it leads to the dismissal of individuals early in their careers who are eager to contribute to organizations like the FDA. These employees bring valuable knowledge and expertise in new types of science and technologies, which could benefit the agency.”

Parking problems

The experts also discussed the recent return-to-work mandate affecting FDA staff. Pollock said that there are not enough parking spaces at FDA’s White Oak campus to accommodate all of the employees who are being told to come back to the office.

FDA employees were told last week they would need to start working from the agency headquarters beginning 17 March, while managers were told to return to the office five days a week if they live within 50 miles of their headquarters or duty stations starting 28 February. (RELATED: This Week: Federal workforce cut, Trump buyout offer delayed, and FDA’s RTO, Regulatory Focus 7 February 2025)

Experts: FDA staff worried about unfinished work, keeping their jobs

Related topics

Recommended content

Welcome to the new RAPS Digital Experience