RFK Jr. Restructures HHS with Major Job Cuts

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced a major restructuring of the department, cutting its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 employees. This overhaul will consolidate 28 divisions into 15, reduce regional offices from 10 to five, and is expected to save $1.8 billion annually. The Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health will see significant staff reductions. A new entity, the Administration for a Healthy America, will be created to focus on chronic disease prevention, food safety, and environmental health. The restructuring aligns with Trump’s government efficiency initiative and aims to realign HHS's mission to address chronic disease epidemics, despite Kennedy's controversial stance on vaccines. Critics express concern over the potential impact on public health oversight amid current health challenges like the measles outbreak.