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Barely a week after mass firings at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), some probationary staffers overseeing medical device approvals were unexpectedly reinstated over the weekend.
The move follows intense backlash from the medical device industry, which pays hundreds of millions in fees to fund the FDA’s device review program.
Starting Friday night, employees received emails stating that their terminations had been rescinded “effective immediately”, according to internal messages obtained by the Associated Press.
“We are so grateful to still have you working for the FDA and serving the American public!” the emails read—just days after staffers were told they were unfit for employment.
A Chaotic Cost-Cutting Strategy
The initial layoffs were part of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk’s broader efforts to slash the federal workforce under the new Department of Government Efficiency.
However, the decision to fire more than 700 FDA employees—including over 220 medical device reviewers—caused immediate concerns within the healthcare industry.
The device review program is largely funded through user fees paid by medical device companies, under an agreement that ensures timely product approvals.
Industry leaders warned the administration that these layoffs would slow approvals and impact patient access to life-saving treatments.
“This would be welcome news, and I appreciate the administration for acting quickly,” said AdvaMed CEO Scott Whitaker, a leading industry advocate.
“We all share the same goal — an efficient, effective FDA review process that helps advance the medical technologies American patients depend on.”
Rehiring Medical Device Staff—But Not Others
Despite the partial rollback, other key FDA divisions remain gutted.
- FDA’s food safety division, which recently underwent a major restructuring, has not rehired any of the nearly 90 employees fired last week.
- FDA’s tobacco center, which regulates e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, also saw 100+ staffers terminatedwith no sign of reinstatement.
The lack of effort to restore food safety and tobacco oversight raises questions about how Trump and Musk’s cost-cutting priorities align with public health needs.
Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, resigned last week, citing the “indiscriminate firing” of experts in food safety, infant formula, and chemical regulation.
Confusion Inside the FDA
FDA staffers say supervisors were blindsided by both the firings and the abrupt reinstatements.
Instead of hearing from leadership, employees received direct notifications from the FDA’s “Office of Talent Solutions” stating their computer access and office privileges had been restored.
Meanwhile, a week earlier, those same employees were told their skills “do not fit the agency’s current needs.”
“The disarray caused by the wholesale termination of device center staff was counterproductive and appears to have caused a variety of unintended and negative results,” said Steve Silverman, former FDA device official and now a consultant.
“It’s encouraging to see a shift in the opposite direction that recognizes the critical expertise of these staffers.“
Industry Fees and Trump’s Budget Cuts: A Conflict?
The FDA’s budget relies heavily on user fees paid by the industries it regulates, raising questions about the financial impact of the mass firings.
- Nearly half of the FDA’s budget—$3.3 billion—comes from fees paid by drugmakers, device companies, and the tobacco industry.
- The medical device center’s budget last year was $791 million, with more than half funded by industry fees.
Since these industry fees don’t contribute to federal budget deficits, critics argue that cutting FDA staff won’t help Musk’s cost-cutting goals—but could slow approvals for new medical treatments.
What’s Next?
The reinstatement of medical device reviewers suggests that Trump’s administration is feeling the pressure from industry lobbyists.
However, with other FDA divisions still severely understaffed, the long-term impact on public health and consumer safety remains uncertain.
The situation highlights the chaotic nature of Trump’s federal job cuts—where agencies are firing and rehiring employees within days, causing instability in critical government functions.
