The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has dismantled a division crucial for the training of its staff and external health-care professionals on vital public health practices, regulatory standards, and employee development, according to information obtained by Finance Newso.
In an email obtained by the network, employees were informed that the Division of Learning and Organizational Development (DLOD) would undergo significant cuts as part of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s extensive plan to reorganize the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). All more than 30 staff members in the division have been let go. Despite being a small team, it served as a vital resource for both the FDA and various external health professionals, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.
Kennedy’s strategies involve cutting a total of 10,000 jobs at HHS, which includes the elimination of roughly 3,500 positions at the FDA. The stated goal is to streamline operations and centralize administrative tasks. The FDA’s responsibilities encompass regulation and oversight of the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, medical devices, food, and cosmetics.
HHS has reassured that these staffing reductions will not impact drug inspectors or reviewers of medical devices or food products. However, it has been reported that critical personnel who significantly contribute to public health, including senior veterinarians managing the FDA’s response to bird flu amidst current outbreaks, have also been let go.
Kennedy mentioned last week that there might be reinstatements for certain personnel and programs affected by these sweeping cuts, but it remains uncertain whether this includes the staff of DLOD. The FDA has not provided a comment on the matter.
The DLOD division is set to cancel all of its planned initiatives, which include scientific education and leadership development programs, as well as the approval of continuing education activities. These activities are designed to keep both FDA employees and external health-care professionals updated on essential medical science and regulatory practices.
Programs previously run by the division offered training on diverse topics ranging from opioid safety and medication error prevention to infectious diseases and the utilization of artificial intelligence in regulatory decision-making. Additionally, the division facilitated monthly presentations aimed at disseminating research pertinent to public health, like recent studies on tobacco use.
The ongoing changes have left no resources available to issue credits or points for the completion of various approved educational activities, such as lectures and online modules, as indicated by an FDA employee. Many health-care professionals are required by state regulations to earn specific credits each year to maintain their licensure and stay informed of current medical knowledge.
The absence of DLOD means that employees will lose a central hub for professional development and training resources.
One FDA employee expressed concern over the impact of DLOD’s closure, stating, “With the removal of DLOD, there’s a great deal of uncertainty about how learners and professionals will adapt. They are now responsible for independently finding and selecting their own courses, which may lead to confusion or inefficiency.”
Interestingly, one section of the division was fully funded through user fees rather than taxpayer dollars. The FDA collects these fees from companies producing specific products like drugs and medical devices and from certain certification bodies.
The Trump administration has justified these layoffs as necessary for federal cost savings, yet this rationale raises questions about the decision to target DLOD specifically.
The division housed the Continuing Education and Consultation Accreditation Team, the only group within the FDA authorized to issue credits to FDA employees and external health professionals. This team, consisting of six members, has also been disbanded.
Moreover, it was the only “jointly accredited” unit in the FDA, allowing it to deliver training across various health-care disciplines.
