STAT+: The FDA’s rebuilding effort is running into a new challenge
The FDA's plan to hire thousands of new workers is being slowed by an overwhelmed HR center.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is experiencing a new challenge in its rebuilding effort, despite claims of a successful hiring spree, according to STAT News. In April 2025, the agency faced significant turmoil when Elon Musk's U.S. DOGE Service reduced its workforce by 3,500 employees, leading to a broader exodus. However, just over a year later, the FDA is actively hiring, with Karim Mikhail, director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, stating that they are "very actively hiring."
The agency has added more than 2,000 workers and is promoting their new employees on social media. However, the reality behind the hiring push is more complex, as the FDA is grappling with bureaucratic delays caused by the same DOGE cuts it is now trying to address.
Brief written by urgent.news from STAT News's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
