What happened in this Health story?

Three former FDA commissioners publicly criticized the DOGE-driven layoffs at the STAT Summit, calling the staff cuts catastrophic to the agency's institutional knowledge and warning that rebuilding will take years.

What is a key fact in this story? (1)

**Robert Califf**, former FDA commissioner under Presidents Obama and Biden, called DOGE "one of the biggest disasters in American history" at the STAT Summit in Boston.

What is a key fact in this story? (2)

The DOGE cuts eliminated 3,500 FDA workers and preceded a larger staff exodus under former Commissioner **Marty Makary**, who resigned in May.

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Ex-FDA chiefs slam DOGE cuts as 'biggest disaster' — SkimNews

By STAT News · Summarized & edited by Kapil Samant · 2026-10-14

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Robert Califf, former FDA commissioner under Presidents Obama and Biden, called DOGE "one of the biggest disasters in American history" at the STAT Summit in Boston.
The DOGE cuts eliminated 3,500 FDA workers and preceded a larger staff exodus under former Commissioner Marty Makary, who resigned in May.
Scott Gottlieb and Ned Sharpless, both former FDA commissioners, echoed the criticism; Sharpless called the cuts "arbitrary" and said companies now find themselves in meetings with more junior, less experienced drug and device reviewers.
White House official Heidi Overton has been nominated to replace Makary but has yet to face a Senate confirmation vote.
Gottlieb praised acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas and policy lead Grace Graham for steering the agency "back to the basics," saying staff now feel confident in rational regulatory decisions.
Califf and Gottlieb both criticized HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for eroding public confidence in vaccines; Gottlieb said his criticism of Kennedy's nomination led him to hire extra personal security.
The panel advised Overton, if confirmed, to "recruit, support, and defend the workforce," and urged the FDA to stick to its statutory mandate of prioritizing safe and effective medicine rather than tackling drug prices or vaccine hesitancy.

Why it matters: Three former commissioners from both parties publicly stated that the 3,500 DOGE-driven layoffs and the subsequent exodus under Makary have already cost the FDA institutional knowledge, with companies now meeting less experienced reviewers. The panel's prescription — "recruit, support, and defend the workforce" — exposes the unresolved condition they see for recovery: staff must believe they are protected from further firings before talent can return.