Health agencies have been relatively quiet in the last week, offering few official statements on the flurry of changes that have gripped their ranks. But their ongoing actions could speak volumes about the new administration's priorities. 

HHS has already begun to scale back promotion of vaccines, for example. Just days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, grabbed the helm at the agency, the CDC shelved its seasonal flu shot campaign called “Wild to Mild.” The agency launched the campaign in 2023 to “share key information with the public about how getting a flu vaccine can reduce your risk of flu.” Its removal from the CDC website comes as the U.S. grapples with the worst flu season in 15 years. 

The CDC also postponed a multi-day meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices that had been slated for later this month. Although an HHS spokesperson told NBC the postponement was to "accommodate public comment,” the agency has yet to publish a new date for the meeting. 

But the news this week was dominated by job cuts. Thousands of federal government roles have now been slashed, including positions across various healthcare agencies. Today, we’re diving into the changes at HHS with a snapshot of how many jobs were lost and a look at how experts have reacted to the potential long-term impact inside the FDA. 

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