Musk's FDA closures raise drug safety and oversight worries

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, has terminated leases for 30 US Food and Drug Administration facilities across the USA.

The cancellations, which could disrupt the agency’s drug testing operations, will generate nearly $30 million in savings, according to DOGE estimates.

The affected sites are spread across 23 states, including a key facility in St Louis, Missouri, that plays a central role in FDA’s drug quality oversight. The agency uses this laboratory for postmarket drug testing to ensure pharmaceutical products meet regulatory standards.