FDA reverse the syllabus on the telework after the trimming and the resignation threatens basic operations

After ordering Food and Drug Administration The agency is reversing the agency course, back to the office, allows some of its most prized employees to work far away, which recently sorting and resignation can endanger basic functions, such as approved new drugs.
An internal email received by the Associated Press states that Faka The leadership “reviews are allowing staff and supervisors to resume televisions” at least two days a week. The policy change was confirmed by three FDA employees, who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss matters of the internal agency.
This message was sent to some hundreds of FDA drug critics on Tuesday. Employees said that a similar policy was given to reviewers who handle vaccines, biotech medicines and medical equipment, although not necessarily in writing.
This is the latest example Tusrap The administration’s chaotic approach to overhall the federal health workforce, including firing, a scuffle to resume some employees, and then an additional pruning last week of the estimated 3,400 employees, or the agency’s over 15% workforce of the agency.
Last week’s deduction included the entire offices focusing on FDA policy and rules, most of the agency’s communication employees and teams that support food inspectors and investigators. Senior officials overseeing tobacco, new drugs, vaccines and other products have also been rejected or forced to resign. Employees have described the lower level employees as “pouring” out of the agency.
Former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Casler During a house hearing on Wednesday, the cuts are called “destructive, random, thoughtless and chaotic”.
When Health Secretary Robert F. When Kennedy Junior announced a plan to abolish 10,000 employees in the federal health workforce, he said that FDA medical critics and security inspectors would not be affected. HHS did not immediately respond to the request of the comment on Wednesday evening.
In February, HHS was forced to remember some probationary employees, which were fired, which included hundreds of medical critics in the FDA, funded by large -scale industry fees, not federal dollars.
But last week’s cuts have jointly posed a new threat with resignation and retirement: FDA funding may fall so low that it reduces a long -standing system in which companies help funds to operate agency.
The FDA’s budget of about half $ 7 billion comes from drugs, devices and fees collected from tobacco companies. The agency uses funds to appoint thousands of employees to quickly and review new products. For example, about 70% of the FDA drug program is funded by user-fee agreements, which should be reused by the Congress every five years.
But agreements determine that if the FDA’s federal funding falls below the set level, companies no longer need to be paid and in some cases, can return their money. The threshold requirements are designed to ensure that the Congress continues to fund the FDA instead of relying on the private sector.
FDA and industry groups are considered to initiate interaction to renew several user-fee agreements at the end of this year, including for drugs and equipment.
“I do not think the agency nor the regulated industry can spend for ‘user fees’, not re-directed,” a lawyer, which advises FDA-regulated companies.
Whatever argument behind the telework shift, former federal officials say this is a sign that has recently confirmed the FDA Commissioner Marti maakari The agency is trying to maintain and rebuild staffing. Maakari Last Wednesday, a day after a large scale trimmed, recorded its first presence at the FDA headquarters. According to the memorandum received by AP, Makari signed a return to telework for some employees.
“Dr. Mary needs to resume productivity for the weeks of rebuilding teams and insecurity of the teams, uncertainty and shortage of team members,” Steven grossmanA former HHS officer. “Return time in work time is a great first step in achieving both.”