After CDC cuts, former officials say “we’re not prepared” for daily public health or emergencies
Former CDC Officials Warn Recent Layoffs Leave Agency Unprepared to Protect Public Health
Following the recent layoffs of hundreds of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) employees, concerns have been raised by former CDC officials about the agency’s ability to effectively safeguard the health and safety of the American public. While initial reduction-in-force notices were issued to 1,300 CDC employees, approximately 700 were later informed that their terminations had been revoked due to a coding error, according to union officials. However, around 600 staff members remained terminated despite this correction.
In a press conference held on Wednesday, former CDC officials who had resigned earlier in the year due to perceived political interference in the agency’s scientific work expressed their worries about the impact of the recent layoffs. Debra Houry, former Chief Medical Officer, emphasized the detrimental effects of staff and resource cuts on the CDC’s ability to fulfill its mission of protecting public health. Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, echoed these concerns, highlighting the implications of silencing and downsizing at the CDC for both daily public health operations and emergency response.
The recent layoffs were attributed to the ongoing government shutdown by an HHS spokesperson, who stated that the Department is focused on restoring accountability, efficiency, and scientific integrity across all its agencies. The spokesperson also pointed to the reduction-in-force actions as a consequence of the shutdown and emphasized the need to eliminate wasteful entities inconsistent with the Trump administration’s agenda.
Houry outlined some of the specific cuts that had been made, including the elimination of the Institutional Review Board, ethics office, technology transfer office, as well as communication and policy offices at the CDC. She also highlighted the loss of the Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling and support for staff, especially in times of crisis or job insecurity.
These layoffs come on top of earlier cuts to federal health agencies as part of a reorganization led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which has faced legal challenges. Houry estimated that the CDC workforce has been reduced to just below 10,000 individuals, down from around 13,600 prior to the layoffs. Daskalakis emphasized the severe consequences of these cuts, stating that the agency is now ill-equipped to respond effectively to medium or large-scale health emergencies.
