US FDA Restructuring May Be Next After Drugs Center Loses More Than 1,000 People

The departure data emerged along with a Health and Human Services Department memo describing conceptual plans to consolidate and restructure offices at the FDA and other agencies.

HHS is considering plans to restructure the FDA and other agencies. (Shutterstock)
Key Takeaways
  • The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research lost more than 800 staff from the RIF, as well as another 200 from early retirements, buyouts and other departures.
  • Most departures came after the end of March, which surprised some in the agency.
  • An HHS memo also suggests plans are being developed to restructure the FDA, although they remain conceptual.

Layoffs, retirements and buyouts have cost the US Food and Drug Administration’s drug center more

Internal data obtained by the Pink Sheet indicate that the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research now has less than 5,000 employees after starting calendar year 2025 with 6,058, a

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