Preparing For A Shutdown: US FDA To Retain 81% Of Workforce, Thanks Mostly To User Fees

However, user fee carryover balances will not last forever and service cuts are inevitable if a shutdown lingers for several weeks.

government shutdown
A prolonged government shutdown would deplete the FDA's user fee reserves. • Source: Shutterstock

The US Food and Drug Administration would furlough less than 20% of its workforce if the government shuts down on 1 October, but that number likely will increase if a funding lapse persists for several weeks.

Shutdown plans indicate 11,973 of the 15,602 staff retained (77%), if government funding is not renewed by the end...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Pink Sheet for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

More from US FDA

To Compete With China, US FDA Must Deregulate Early Gene Therapy Studies, CAR-T Inventor Says

 

FDA regulation was painted as an obstacle to US dominance in the cell and gene therapy space even as panelists at an agency event praised the Office of Therapeutic Products' track record under Nicole Verdun.

Prasad Says Involvement In US FDA Product Approvals Will Mirror Prior CBER Directors

 

The remarks from the new CBER director suggest Prasad will not be involved in most product-specific decisions.

US FDA Cell-Gene Therapy Head Says Agency Has Revived Stalled Programs

 

CBER's Nicole Verdun wants rare disease sponsors with stalled treatments to circle back because the FDA's evolved thinking on clinical trial designs may offer another opportunity for cast away products.

FDA’s FY 2026 Budget Request Lacks New Policy Proposals

 
• By 

The White House requested $6.8bn for the FDA, down 3.9% from the current funding level, but does not propose any legislative changes. In previous years, the agency used the budget process to seek statutory fixes specific to generic drugs and shortages.

More from Agency Leadership

FDA’s FY 2026 Budget Request Lacks New Policy Proposals

 
• By 

The White House requested $6.8bn for the FDA, down 3.9% from the current funding level, but does not propose any legislative changes. In previous years, the agency used the budget process to seek statutory fixes specific to generic drugs and shortages.

User Fee-Funded Staff Would Drop In FY 2026 US FDA Budget

 

The reductions across medical product programs in the agency’s budget request include hundreds of positions funded by user fees, which may foreshadow its upcoming user fee restructuring strategy.

Drug, Biologic Policy Staff Return To US FDA, As RIF Process Hangs In Legal Limbo

 

The FDA employees with reduction-in-force notice rescissions include some who work on user fee negotiations, but staff still subject to RIFs will not officially separate from the agency this week due to ongoing legal challenges.