FDA employees consider how to handle RFK Jr., including leaving

Some staff members at the Food and Drug Administration are considering a quick exit as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Some staff members at the Food and Drug Administration are considering a quick exit as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being floated as a potential health official in the incoming Trump administration, according to three former and one current government official who were granted anonymity to speak freely about sensitive issues. The former officials are still in touch with colleagues who work at the FDA.

Staff turnover is typical when a new administration comes in, and a significant number of FDA employees similarly considered leaving before President-elect Donald Trump’s first term in office, said one former and one current official. At the time, there were also concerns about what the FDA would look like under the first Trump administration. 

But there ended up being “relatively little turnover” at the time, said one former official, adding that Trump’s first term generally worked out well for those who stayed at the FDA,  as they were able to “execute” on new priorities for the agency, such as accelerated drug approvals. 

This time, however, there’s an added layer of anxiety outside Trump: Kennedy. 

“With the first administration, more people took a wait-and-see approach. Now, between the concerns about new post-employment restrictions and the risk of involuntary separation, more people are looking proactively,” one former official said. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-employees-consider-handle-rfk-jr-leaving-rcna180115

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