Every day, federal workers face tough challenges that can mean life or death. They fight to get donor organs to patients in need, protect kids from appealing tobacco products, and reduce maternal and infant deaths. These workers were brought in to address serious issues after years of talk among lawmakers. But recently, many were let go in a wave of firings under President Donald Trump. This sudden shake-up has put crucial public health efforts at risk.
The exact number of fired employees isn’t clear yet. Reports suggest around 750 workers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and over 1,000 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) were let go. Also affected are staff from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Food and Drug Administration. These agencies play key roles in safeguarding public health.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has said he wants to cut entire departments from the FDA. The White House claimed they were letting go of newer employees deemed “not mission critical.” But experts worry about the consequences of these actions. Susan Polan, from the American Public Health Association, expressed concern over the negative impact on public health and transparency.
Many of the affected workers dedicated years to training, only to find themselves without a job. ProPublica is tracking these firings to show the depth of loss in public health expertise due to the administration’s decisions.
Protecting Youth from Tobacco
Dustin Brace, after years of service in various federal positions, joined the FDA to help regulate tobacco products aimed at children. He focused on e-cigarettes designed to look like candy or soda, which had led to an uptick in emergency room visits for kids. Brace’s work required careful scrutiny of thousands of applications to ensure new products were safe.
The efforts to regulate tobacco have bipartisan support. The FDA only gained comprehensive authority to do so in 2009, after years of opposition from the industry. However, last week, Brace, along with many of his colleagues, received a termination notice citing “poor performance,” which surprised him as he previously received positive reviews.
With over 10% of their team fired, Brace fears this will slow down vital work. He worries that mistakes could happen with an increased workload.
Reducing Maternal Mortality
When Arielle Kane joined a new federal program last year aimed at reducing maternal mortality rates, she felt a strong sense of purpose. The U.S. has the highest rates of maternal deaths among wealthy nations. Many women, especially in underserved areas, lack access to essential prenatal care.
This innovative program was designed to support Medicaid mothers with access to better healthcare options, like birth centers and midwives. It was set to track outcomes and improve monitoring of serious conditions. However, soon after launching, Kane and her team were instructed to stop collecting important data on race and ethnicity, a move viewed as detrimental to addressing racial disparities in maternal health.
Just weeks after the program began, Kane was among those let go, leaving her frustrated about the lost potential impact on maternal health.
Streamlining Organ Procurement
Amy Paris was hired to help reform how the U.S. connects organ donors to patients. There was growing criticism as many lives were lost while donor organs went unused due to logistical errors. Paris’s team had been making progress, emphasizing the urgent need for quality care in organ transplantation. But after being fired, she expressed deep concern about how this reform would now stall, fearing it would hurt those in desperate need of transplants.
Paris lamented the ongoing removal of essential services, stating, “We are hollowing out our government in a way that is going to hurt people and will get people killed.”
