WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration’s initiative to reduce the federal workforce has now impacted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), resulting in the dismissal of newly hired personnel who assess the safety of food ingredients, medical devices, and various consumer products.

On Saturday evening, probationary employees at the FDA received notifications regarding their job termination, as three FDA employees disclosed to The Associated Press, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on public comments.

While the exact number of eliminated positions remains uncertain, the layoffs mainly affected employees in the agency’s divisions overseeing food safety, medical devices, and tobacco products, which includes regulation of electronic cigarettes. It remains unclear if drug review personnel at the FDA were among those affected.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced plans to terminate 5,200 probationary employees across its various agencies, which include the National Institutes of Health, FDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to anonymous sources who spoke to the AP, nearly 1,300 of the layoffs at the CDC were initially anticipated. However, by early Sunday afternoon, around 700 employees had received termination notices, as per three individuals who also requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly. They confirmed that the layoffs did not affect the early-career doctors and researchers involved in disease monitoring through the Epidemic Intelligence Service.

Headquartered in the Maryland suburbs near Washington, the FDA employs close to 20,000 staff members. The agency has faced criticism from new health secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., who previously claimed the FDA was engaging in a “war on public health” by not approving certain unverified treatments such as psychedelics and stem cell therapies.

Kennedy has vocally called for the removal of thousands of chemicals and artificial colorings from the food supply. However, among those let go at the FDA were individuals tasked with evaluating the safety of new food additives, as confirmed by an FDA employee familiar with the situation.

An HHS representative did not immediately provide comments when contacted on Sunday afternoon.

Nearly half of the FDA’s $6.9 billion budget stems from fees paid by the companies it regulates, which enables the agency to hire additional scientists to expedite product reviews. Terminating these positions will not result in a reduction of government expenditures.

A former FDA official noted that eliminating newer hires could be detrimental, as these employees typically possess more recent technical expertise. The FDA’s workforce has a trend of being older, with many staff members having served for over a decade. The Government Accountability Office highlighted in 2022 that the FDA has often struggled with staff recruitment and retention due to better compensation opportunities in the private sector.

“It’s essential to infuse the workforce with new talent,” stated Peter Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner during President George W. Bush’s administration. “Introducing individuals with innovative ideas, passion, and the latest technological insights is crucial.”

Mitch Zeller, a former FDA director for tobacco, expressed concern that these layoffs could “demoralize and undermine the spirit of the federal workforce.” He elaborated, stating, “The cumulative impact of their efforts will significantly hinder recruitment and retention of skilled professionals.”

The FDA’s inspection team has faced considerable challenges in recent years due to a wave of resignations during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many current inspectors as recent hires. It remains unclear if these inspectors are among those who will be let go.

FDA inspectors are responsible for ensuring compliance in thousands of facilities related to food, drugs, tobacco, and medical devices globally. However, the AP previously reported that the agency faced a backlog of around 2,000 uninspected drug manufacturing sites that had not been checked since before the pandemic.

The inspection team has also received criticism for its slow response to emerging issues with infant formula, baby food, and eye drops.

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AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe contributed to this report.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP maintains complete editorial control over all content.