The Oct. 24 editorial “Enshrining cronyism” was right about the dangers of President Trump’s executive order that will allow the at-will firing of career civil servants, including scientists. In my first year as a Food and Drug Administration reviewer, I was substantively involved in the development and drafting of guidances for the pharmaceutical industry. Every FDA reviewer woud be covered by this executive order.

Consequently, no FDA reviewer is safe from being fired based on false allegations for ostensibly unrelated reasons for a review that includes information or recommendations higher-ups do not want to see. By including administrative judges under this order, administrative judges on the Merit Systems Protection Board who rule in whistleblower retaliation cases have no protection if they rule against the administration.

This executive order is one more reason not to trust the FDA’s coronavirus decisions.

Ronald E. Kavanagh, Silver Spring