Medical schools criticize Health Department layoffs

The head of the organization representing the nation’s medical schools has joined other health leaders in criticizing the layoffs in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

David J. Skorton, MD, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, says he's worried about key leaders being laid off at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (Image: AAMC)

David J. Skorton, MD, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, said Wednesday that he’s worried about the staff cuts and sweeping reorganization of the health department. 

In a statement Wednesday, Skorton said he’s concerned that the health department cuts will hurt health and research programs.

“As part of the HHS reorganization, critical leaders were laid off, reassigned, or placed on administrative leave,” Skorton said in a statement. “These actions are likely to slow scientific advancement and negatively impact the health and well-being of the American people.”

Skorton said the AAMC wants to work with the administration to understand how “sweeping changes to the federal health infrastructure” will affect the health of Americans.

“The AAMC remains committed to and ready to work with the leadership of HHS in our mission to improve the health of all patients, families, and communities,” Skorton said.

The AAMC leader joins public health leaders who criticized the layoffs, which began at the health department Tuesday. Public health leaders say the health department is losing divisions and staff that were focused on key health programs, including vaccinations, HIV prevention, anti-smoking efforts and injury prevention.

• Read more: FDA is ‘finished’ after mass layoffs, ex-commissioner says

Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the layoff of 10,000 department staff last week, and workers began receiving notices of their dismissals Tuesday.

The biggest hit went to the Food & Drug Administration, which is losing 3,500 workers. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention is losing 2,400 positions, while the National Institutes of Health staff is being reduced by 1,200.

The health department is closing half of its 10 regional offices and many of its divisions are being combined. Kennedy said the steps will save $1.8 billion and allow the health department to focus on chronic diseases.

Public health leaders say the layoffs will undermine Kennedy’s goal of preventing chronic diseases. The AAMC, and others, are seeking more clarification on how the health department reorganization will be carried out.

This isn’t the first time the AAMC has spoken out against the Trump administration’s cuts involving the health department. Medical colleges, universities and hospitals all condemned the NIH’s plans to cut billions of dollars in research funding. The Trump administration said it was capping how much it would support for administrative or “indirect” costs involving research, saying it wanted to ensure money goes to scientific studies. The NIH said the measures would save $4 billion annually.

Medical schools and universities argued that those “indirect” costs cover essentials, including security and computing services. The AAMC joined legal efforts to prevent the cuts.

The AAMC said in February that the Trump administration’s cuts will result in “less research.”

“Lights in labs nationwide will literally go out. Researchers and staff will lose their jobs. As a result, Americans will have to wait longer for cures and our country will cede scientific breakthroughs to foreign competitors,” the AAMC said.

A federal judge has upheld an injunction to block the NIH’s spending cuts, but the legal fight is likely to continue.

The Trump administration has also pulled back $11 billion in Covid-related funds given to state and local health departments. Public health leaders said the move will hurt local and state efforts to track outbreaks and prepare for future emergencies, and the damage is exacerbated by cuts in health programs in the HHS reorganization.

More than 20 states have filed a lawsuit to prevent the Trump administration from pulling back the money.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said this week that Pennsylvania is losing $500 million in federal support. Pennsylvania is among the states suing to retain the funds.

“The Trump Administration abruptly canceled Congressionally-appropriated federal funding that supports critical Pennsylvania-based initiatives like infectious disease prevention, long-term care for our seniors, and immunizations for children,” Shapiro said.