US FDA asks fired scientists to return, including some reviewing Musk's Neuralink

The US Food and Drug Administration is asking some of its recently fired scientists if they will come back to their jobs, including some employees reviewing Elon Musk's brain implant company, Neuralink, multiple sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The FDA plans to rehire around 300 people in total, according to four sources with secondhand knowledge of the situation, following President Donald Trump's rush last week to fire employees at the agency responsible for reviewing drugs, food safety, medical devices and tobacco. Reuters could not verify the figure.

Elon Musk, the world's richest person, who oversees Neuralink and spent more than $250 million to help elect Trump, has been leading an effort to cut federal workers with his Department of Government Efficiency, including at the FDA. Thousands have been cut.

It is not known who ordered the firings and now the rehirings, according to sources familiar with the situation, including several employees caught up in the turmoil.

At least 11 employees working at the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health - which oversees medical device reviews - have received calls since Friday saying they could return to work on Monday, according to eight FDA sources who spoke under condition of anonymity. Some of the sources were told the FDA would continue making requests to return throughout the weekend.

If the scientists agree to return, they would represent less than one-third of the staffers dismissed about a week ago. The White House told Reuters the administration had fired over 1,000 FDA staffers.

The FDA firings last week included about 20 people in its office of neurological and physical medicine devices, several of whom worked on Neuralink, Reuters exclusively reported. It is not known if all of the fired workers reviewing Neuralink have received the return offer.

The FDA had initially rejected Neuralink's request to start clinical trials, citing safety risks, Reuters reported in 2023. The agency has since given the startup approval to do clinical trials, which are ongoing.

The FDA did not immediately respond to a comment request. The White House declined to comment and referred questions to the federal health department, which did not respond.

REHIRING SPREE

The attempt to rehire FDA scientists follows a Trump administration rehiring spree, including some employees responsible for US nuclear weapons as well as scientists working on the worsening outbreak of bird flu.

Several scientists who received the FDA's calls said they were not sure if they wanted to return, although three said they would.

They had chosen to work at the FDA, they told Reuters, because they believed in the mission of public health and safety, often forgoing much higher pay in the private sector.

"I get that (Trump administration officials) are trying to do the Silicon Valley 'move fast, break things'" motto, said one scientist who received a call back. "But how are you going to be able to hire good people when you're not offering Silicon Valley stock or pay, and you've taken away their stability?"