NEW YORK (AP) — The nation's top public health agency is losing most of the scientists in a prestigious, but lesser-known, laboratory program that has become
Demonstrators protest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention layoffs in front of the CDC headquarters in Atlanta on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. NEW YORK — The nation’s top public health agency is losing most of the scientists in a prestigious, but lesser-known, laboratory program that has become a mainstay of outbreak responses.
The fellowship program was hit hard during the layoffs coming to many federal departments, according to five Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials who spoke only on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the cuts.. The cuts may not have an immediate impact, but they likely will haunt the nation in the months to come, said Stephan Monroe, a former CDC official who oversaw the reform of the agency’s lab services. “The key thing about lab testing is it’s the smoke alarm,” said Monroe, now retired. “If you can identify those first cases really early, it allows you to mobilize a big response. … If they don’t know what it is that’s going on, it could be a lot of transmission started before response starts.” With a $9.2 billion core budget, the CDC is charged with protecting Americans from outbreaks and other public health threats. Before the job cuts, the agency had about 13,000 employees. They included more than 1,700 scientists working at laboratories — the people who determine or confirm what germ or other threat is behind a rash of unexplained illnesses. Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services have not provided detail about where cuts were made, and some at the CDC say they are still sorting out exactly who was cut and which centers or offices were hit hardest. Some workers at other agencies were told they were laid off, only to be informed later that they could keep their jobs. Last week, CDC officials were initially told they were losing nearly 1,300 probationary employees, but the final number was more like 700, according to two CDC officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the cuts. On Friday, it appeared the ax was falling on the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a prestigious two-year program for new disease investigators. Two agency employees who communicated with EIS staffers, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, told The Associated Press about the EIS cuts.Not so lucky, however, was the Laboratory Leadership Service, a similar program for lab scientists. At least 16 of the program’s 24 fellows were terminated, according to one of the scientists who was fired. The leadership program was created in the wake of a series of lab failures, including an incident in which a CDC lab scientist in Atlanta accidentally mixed a deadly strain of bird flu with a tamer strain and another in which a CDC lab failed to kill anthrax samples before sending them to two labs with fewer safeguards for containing dangerous germs. The leadership program brought in doctorate-holding professionals who could help the CDC and state health labs improve testing while complying with demanding federal standards. It also was designed to be a way to recruit top talent to the CDC. Lab service members often were dispatched to states, territories and other countries to help identify what was causing an outbreak. They helped expand testing for dengue when the mosquito-borne disease hit American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands and rebuilt testing capability in Puerto Rico after hurricanes. They evaluate new tests for state health labs, and train staff how to use them. That kind of expertise is crucial, especially at a time when the nation is closely watching the spread of a worrisome new form of bird flu, some experts say. “Our ability to detect and contain health threats including H5N1 is already strained. This not the way to make America healthier,” former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden wrote on LinkedIn about the lab program cuts.The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.ATLANTA — For years, Republicans echoing President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 presidential election was ridden with voter fraud have pushed for states to leave a bipartisan group that lets officials share data to keep voter rolls accurate. Nine have, but none since October 2023. A new bill advanced Tuesday by House WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed wealthy financier Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary Tuesday, putting in place a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump’s hardline trade polices. At the Commerce Department, Lutnick, who was CEO at the investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, will oversee 50,000 employees who do everything from collecting economic statistics to running the President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order aiming to reduce the costs of in vitro fertilization, a medical procedure that helps people facing infertility build their families. “Americans need reliable access to IVF and more affordable treatment options, as the cost per cycle can range from $12,000 to $25,000,” the order said. “Providing TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas became the latest state to ban gender-affirming care for minors Tuesday after the Republican-controlled Legislature overrode the Democratic governor’s veto of the measure. Kansas is the 27th state to ban or restrict such care. GOP lawmakers reversed Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto less than a month after President Donald Trump issued FireAid, the benefit concert that raised an estimated $100 million for those impacted by the Los Angeles fires last month, announced $50 million in grants on Tuesday to dozens of community-based organizations assisting in disaster recovery. The initial round of grantmaking will support immediate needs like temporary housing, rental assistance, food access, and disaster case NEW YORK — The nation’s top public health agency is losing most of the scientists in a prestigious, but lesser-known, laboratory program that has become a mainstay of outbreak responses. The fellowship program was hit hard during the layoffs coming to many federal departments, according to five Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials The Museum of Pop Culture , located in Seattle, steps into the realm of folklore and fantasy with its upcoming exhibition, “Asian Comics: Evolution of an Art Form.” In collaboration with the renowned Barbican Centre in London, the limited-time exhibition journeys through the rich, multifaceted world of Asian visual storytelling, paying homage to its historical Deciding when it's time for senior living can be challenging. However, a senior living community can be a positive step toward ensuring safety, health and happiness. Fighting hunger together: Safeway’s, Albertsons’ Nourishing Neighbors program tackles food insecurity‘Preventing the preventable:’ Most effective ways to protect your home from water damage Water damage stands as one of the most common and costly claims that homeowners face, accounting for nearly a quarter of all homeowners insurance claims.The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust is hosting a tree-planting fundraiser, helping create a sustainable future for local communities, wildlife and the planet.
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