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Lawmakers, witnesses warn HHS layoffs announced this week risk slowing FDA reviews and inspections
Summary
Members from both parties and several witnesses told the subcommittee that HHS’s announced workforce reductions, including plans to cut thousands at FDA, will disrupt reviews, inspections and public‑health functions; witnesses cited the forced departure of Dr. Peter Marks and asked for congressional oversight.
Several members used the OMUFA hearing to press immediate concerns about an administration reorganization and large layoffs announced at the Department of Health and Human Services that, they said, would materially affect FDA operations.
Representative Diana DeGette and Representative Frank Pallone said the administration’s planned cuts — described in testimony and press reports as including thousands of agency positions — risked delaying reviews, inspections and post‑market surveillance. Pallone called for prompt oversight hearings to compel the administration to explain the operational logic for the reductions. Multiple witnesses said they had confirmed staff already were being dismissed when they attempted to enter HHS offices.
Environmental Working Group’s Scott Faber said the reductions would ‘‘make it harder for FDA to do that work’’ and risked slowing approval timelines for drugs, devices and OTC products. Representatives and witnesses also highlighted the resignation of Dr. Peter Marks, former director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research; Representative DeGette read a line from his resignation letter that said, in her recounting, that Marks wrote, ‘‘truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.’’ The committee made that letter part of the record at the request of a Democrat member.
Members and witnesses described concrete programs that rely on non‑fee funded FDA staff — food‑safety labs, cosmetic GMP development, post‑market surveillance and other support roles — and said those positions are not necessarily protected by fee funding. Witnesses warned layoffs of those specialists would increase inspection backlogs and slow final determinations that depend on cross‑team expertise such as biostatistics, toxicology and labeling review.
Ending: Members on both sides of the aisle said they would continue oversight and seek answers from HHS on the scope and operational impact of the announced reductions; several members said they would request documentation from the administration and invited FDA leaders to appear before the committee.
