The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reportedly moving to reverse some of the recent layoffs that significantly impacted its food and drug safety operations. This decision follows widespread concerns about the agency's ability to ensure public health following the dismissal of approximately 3,500 staff members. ​

Among those being reinstated are scientists from drug safety laboratories in Puerto Rico and Detroit, as well as food safety labs in Chicago and San Francisco. Additionally, support staff for FDA inspectors are also being brought back. ​

The layoffs had led to the suspension of critical programs, such as the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) Proficiency Testing Program, which ensures the accuracy of food safety labs analyzing milk and other dairy products. 

FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary has emphasized the agency's commitment to maintaining its regulatory responsibilities, stating that the FDA will continue to meet its review deadlines for new drugs despite the staffing changes.  

"On the question of productivity, my center leaders have assured me that the FDA will reach its PDUFA (goal date) targets," Makary said in an interview posted on the Inside Medicine Substack.

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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) attributed the layoffs to errors stemming from outdated and siloed human resources systems, underscoring the need for administrative restructuring to prevent similar issues in the future. ​

While the reversal of some layoffs is a positive development, concerns remain about the FDA's overall capacity to ensure food and drug safety, especially as the agency considers shifting more inspection responsibilities to state and local authorities. ​

As the FDA works to restore its workforce and programs, public health experts and consumer advocates will be closely monitoring the agency's actions to ensure that food and drug safety standards are upheld.