Breaking: HHS employees to be fired as White House blames shutdown

It's not yet clear how many workers at the agency would be let go.

Log In    Subscribe BREAKING NEWS   HHS employees to be fired as White House enacts mass terminations it blames on shutdown By Chelsea Cirruzzo BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images Federal health employees are being fired as the White House makes good on a promise to terminate federal employees en masse as the second week of the government shutdown drags to a close.    An HHS spokesperson on Friday confirmed to STAT that the firings, known as reductions in force, had hit the department, but did not specify which agencies were affected. READ MORE Sign up for D.C. Diagnosis Washington never stops. Cut through the noise with our essential updates on health care politics and policy. Learn more. In Case You Missed It 1   They advised federal health agencies on the ethics and impact of scientific research. They're no longer wanted By Megan Molteni and Anil Oza 2   She's leading NIH's push to reduce the use of animals in biomedical research By Sara Talpos 3   Peter Marks, FDA vaccine regulator ousted by RFK Jr., joins Eli Lilly By Lizzy Lawrence 4   Who is winning the government shutdown? By John Wilkerson Don't miss out on another STAT investigation Unlock the world of health and medicine with a subscription to STAT+ Learn more STAT, 1 Exchange Place, Boston, MA ©2025, All Rights Reserved. I no longer wish to receive STAT emails Update Newsletter Preferences • Contact Us • Advertise with Us