FDA planning for fewer food and drug inspections due to layoffs, officials say

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is facing challenges as senior leaders plan for cutbacks to routine food and drug inspections due to recent layoffs in support staff. Approximately 170 workers were let go from the FDA’s Office of Inspections and Investigations, impacting the agency’s ability to conduct necessary inspections.

While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has stated that the layoffs ordered by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would not directly affect FDA’s inspections staff, the agency is grappling with major delays and disruptions caused by the loss of administrative and management support. This has led to the need to reprioritize workload and trim routine surveillance inspections in favor of more urgent tasks, such as inspections of firms with safety risks or follow-up visits to ensure compliance.

One significant impact of the layoffs is the elimination of the office’s travel operations division, which handled logistics for inspectors traveling abroad. Inspectors will now have to manage their own travel arrangements, taking time away from their primary responsibilities of ensuring consumer safety. Additionally, a pilot program of unannounced foreign inspections has been paused due to the loss of staff responsible for securing translators.

The FDA has struggled to meet its inspection goals even before the recent layoffs, with a backlog exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A report by the Government Accountability Office highlighted the agency’s challenges in meeting mandated deadlines for food safety inspections.

The cuts are expected to worsen existing delays and challenges faced by FDA inspectors, including restrictions on spending and the need to plan inspections well in advance. These challenges, coupled with ongoing efforts to reduce spending, are hindering the agency’s ability to effectively carry out its responsibilities.

In light of these developments, the FDA is working to adapt to the new reality and find ways to prioritize critical inspections while managing limited resources. The impact of the cutbacks on public health and consumer safety remains a concern, as the agency works to navigate these challenges in the months ahead.