At least 11 employees working at the #FDA's Center for Devices & Radiological #Health - which oversees #MedicalDevice reviews - have received calls since Friday saying they could return to work on Monday, acc/to 8 FDA sources…. Some of the sources were told the FDA would continue making requests to return throughout the weekend.
If the scientists agree to return, they would represent <⅓ of the staffers dismissed about a week ago. The #Trump admin had fired >1,000 FDA staffers.
#ElonMusk, the world's richest person, who oversees #Neuralink & spent >$250M to help elect #Trump, has been leading the effort to cut govt workers w/ #DOGE. Thousands have been cut.
The #FDA firings last week included about 20 people in its office of #neurological & #physical #MedicalDevices several of whom worked on Neuralink…. It is not known if all of the fired workers reviewing Neuralink have received the return offer.
#law #USpol #kleptocracy #medicine #PublicHealth #health #science
The #FDA had initially rejected #Musk’s #Neuralink request to start clinical trials, citing #safety risks, Reuters reported in 2023. The agency has since given the startup approval to do clinical trials, which are ongoing.
The attempt to rehire FDA scientists follows a #Trump admin rehiring spree, including some employees responsible for US #NuclearWeapons as well as scientists working on the worsening outbreak of #BirdFlu.
#law #USpol #corruption #kleptocracy #medicine #PublicHealth #science
Several #scientists who received the #FDA's calls said they were not sure they wanted to return….
They had chosen to work at the #FDA …because they believed in… #PublicHealth & #safety, forgoing higher pay in the private sector.
"I get that (#Trump admin ofcls) are trying to do the Silicon Valley 'move fast, break things'" motto, said one scientist…."But how are you going to be able to hire good people when you're not offering Silicon Valley stock or pay, & you’ve taken away their stability?"
🚨🚨 Hundreds of jobs were cut that were funded by fees from medical device companies, banks, & others, NOT by taxpayers, raising questions about #Trump's stated goal of saving taxpayer money.
At least 3 of the employees asked to rejoin the #FDA received termination letters telling them their performance had "not been adequate to justify further employment at the agency."…Many of the fired employees had received exemplary rankings just weeks ago & had no performance issues.
#Trump is firing federal workers who are not funded by taxpayers
#FactCheck #TrumpLies
#ElonMusk #DOGE
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-is-firing-federal-workers-who-are-not-funded-by-taxpayers-2025-02-21/
