More data continues to show the depths to which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) staff has been diminished since the start of this administration.

The details: The labor union that represents employees at CDC’s headquarters launched a website with detailed information on how much the agency’s workforce has decreased.

The website relies on data from the Office of Personnel Management, HHS’ employee directory, and “union data.”

The numbers: The agency lost 30% of its workforce March 2025-May 2026, about 3,539 people, though some remain on administrative leave as a result of the reduction-in-force (RIF) efforts.

The largest share of employees who left the agency voluntarily retired (857), while 216 more opted for early retirement, and 837 quit. Another 800+ were affected by the administration’s RIFs, with 572 fired and 271 placed on administrative leave. Smaller shares left because of expired terms or other forms of termination or separation.
The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion lost 48% of its staff, including 100% of staff in the Office on Smoking and Health and 30% in the Division of Adolescent and School Health.
The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control lost 43% of its staff, including 16% of the Division of Overdose Prevention.
The Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology lost 38% and the National Center for Health Statistics 20%.
The National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention lost 27%.

The bigger picture: Interviews with current and former employees reveal the agency is now tightly controlled by HHS Secretary Kennedy and his associates, and its scientists are finding it increasingly difficult to do their jobs effectively.

The main point: CDC’s capacity to execute its critical work assisting state and local health departments, conducting data surveillance, distributing grants, etc. is diminished.

Why it’s important:

State and local health departments, which rely on CDC for resources and technical advice, have been stymied by delays. Employees who remain are backfilling roles left vacant, and the lack of experienced staff members is affecting CDC’s ability to help state and local governments, one of the agency’s primary functions.
Entire divisions have been shuttered, including teams that worked on issues such as smoking. Even some areas central to the administration’s priorities have been gutted, including the center that aims to prevent chronic diseases.
Many divisions are struggling to disburse money appropriated by Congress.
There is a leadership vacuum at the agency, with only 1 of 11 center directors from March 2025 remaining. Most of the other centers are being run by acting directors.
In the past, just two or three political appointees had purview over CDC. Now, there are nearly 20, who sometimes direct CDC staff to spend time and funding on dubious theories outside the agency’s scope. Several instances of political interference in CDC’s activities have been reported.