From Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as HHS secretary to the resignation of the FDA’s top drug regulator, HHS saw several leadership transitions in 2025.
Beyond leadership, HHS announced plans in April to lay off 10,000 full-time employees, with dismissal notices sent that month. However, 954 HHS employees who received layoff notices during the federal government shutdown in October and November were later reinstated.
The most recent leadership exit was Walter Koroshetz, MD, director of the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, who will exit his role after the National Institutes of Health terminated his contract. He informed colleagues in a Dec. 26 email that his tenure could end Dec. 28, but he was later granted a four-week extension “for an orderly transition,” according to sources at NIH.
His exit will leave 14 of the NIH’s 27 institutes and centers without permanent leadership, according to Reuters.
HHS made several decisions in 2025 that affected hospitals and health systems, including CMS awarding $50 billion across all 50 states through its new Rural Health Transformation Program and releasing final payment rules for fiscal year 2026.
Below are additional leadership changes at HHS that Becker’s reported on in 2025:
- Martin Kulldorff, PhD, shared plans to step down as chair of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in December. He is taking on a new role as chief scientific officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Dr. Kulldorff was appointed earlier in 2025 by Mr. Kennedy.
- George Tidmarsh, MD, PhD, resigned Nov. 2 as director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. He had been placed on administrative leave Oct. 31, pending an investigation by HHS’ Office of Inspector General. Dr. Tidmarsh said the move was retaliatory and related to his concerns over the legal basis of the FDA’s new National Priority Voucher program, he previously told The New York Times.
- Jim O’Neill, who became HHS deputy secretary in June, was named acting CDC director in August after Susan Monarez, PhD, was ousted from the role after one month.
- Four CDC leaders resigned in August following Dr. Monarez’s exit:
- Demetre Daskalakis, MD, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
- Debra Houry, MD, chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science of the Centers
- Daniel Jernigan, MD, director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
- Jen Layden, MD, PhD, director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology
- Sean Keveney was named chief counsel of the FDA in August after serving as acting general counsel of HHS.
- Vinay Prasad, MD, resigned in July as the FDA’s top vaccine and gene therapy official after an online campaign criticized his drug approval decisions. An HHS spokesperson said Dr. Prasad “did not want to be a distraction to the great work of the FDA in the Trump administration and has decided to return to California and spend more time with his family.”
- Mehmet Oz, MD, was confirmed as CMS administrator in April, overseeing the federal agency responsible for providing healthcare coverage to more than 160 million Americans through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the ACA marketplace.
- Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, was confirmed by the Senate as the 18th NIH director March 25. He was selected by President Donald Trump in November 2024.
- Marty Makary, MD, was confirmed by the Senate as the 27th FDA commissioner March 25. President Trump nominated him in November.
- David Weldon, MD, was selected as CDC director in November, but the White House withdrew the nomination hours before his first confirmation hearing in March.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as HHS secretary in February in a 52-48 Senate vote.
- Monica Bartagnolli, MD, stepped down as NIH director Jan. 17, three days before President Trump’s inauguration.
