Massive Job Cuts at NIOSH Threaten 9/11 Victims' Health Care

[Update – April 7, 2025] Dr. John Howard has been reinstated as Administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program - a positive and necessary step in the ongoing crisis facing the program. However, major challenges remain. Sixteen of the program’s remaining 86 staff have received notice of possible termination, and funding for critical operations remains uncertain. The WTCHP provides essential medical treatment and monitoring to over 137,000 responders and survivors across the country. Without full staffing and long-term funding, thousands of 9/11 victims could face delays or denials in health care. Lawmakers and 9/11 advocacy groups are urging immediate restoration of all staffing and full program support to ensure this life-saving care continues uninterrupted.

Tens of thousands of responders, residents, workers, students, and volunteers who were downtown on or after the September 11th attacks rely on the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program for medical treatment, prescription medications, and monitoring of serious cancers and illnesses linked to toxic exposure.

On Tuesday, April 1st, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced devastating layoffs at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the federal agency responsible for overseeing the WTC Health Program. The administration’s decision will eliminate nearly 800 NIOSH jobs, with the remaining one-third of positions expected to be terminated shortly, directly impacting the care available to 9/11 victims.

What Are the Key Consequences of the NIOSH Job Cuts?

• Dr. John Howard, the long-time NIOSH Director and WTC Health Program Administrator, has been fired.
  
  
• All but 86 WTC Health Program staff members remain, far below the federally authorized staffing level of 138.
  
  
• NIOSH doctors, epidemiologists, and administrative personnel who certify 9/11-related illnesses have been terminated.
  
  
• New applications for program benefits, including cancer treatment approvals, will be delayed or halted.
  
  
• Ongoing research on adding autoimmune and cardiac conditions to the WTC Health Program has been stopped.

A Health Program Without Doctors

One of the most alarming consequences of these cuts is that there are no longer any doctors on staff at the WTC Health Program. The program has always depended on NIOSH physicians to review and certify medical conditions for coverage. Without those doctors, 9/11 responders and survivors who develop cancer or other illnesses will not be able to access treatment.

The mass firings also mean that all other NIOSH programs will be eliminated, including the Firefighter Cancer Registry, the Firefighter Fatality and Investigation Program, the Respirator Certification Program (which ensures safety for firefighters, healthcare workers, and other essential personnel), construction safety research to prevent fatal falls, and mine safety programs that protect workers from black lung disease and other mining-related hazards.

Take Action Now to Protect the WTC Health Program

The first step to protecting the WTC Health Program is reinstating Dr. John Howard as NIOSH Director immediately. Without urgent action, 9/11 victims suffering from cancer or other 9/11-related illnesses will lose access to the care they desperately need.

If you or a loved one relies on the WTC Health Program, now is the time to speak out. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has lost far too many essential workers, putting the health care of 9/11 victims at risk. This is unacceptable. We all know the critical role these workers play in ensuring that first responders and survivors receive the care they deserve. Now, more than ever, we must make our voices heard.

Please look up your local congressional representative and call to express your outrage. The message should be clear: these essential positions must be restored, and the health of 9/11 victims cannot be compromised. Here is a link to find your local congressional representative: https://www.renew911health.org/fully-fund-911-health/