Upton, Murphy press HHS on Zika virus response

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), along with Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA), recently sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) criticizing the department’s response to the ongoing spread of the Zika virus.

“The current status of diagnostic testing for Zika is alarming,” the letter said. “The most widespread of the tests — which measures the presence of the virus in the blood — only works if administered within five to seven days of the onset of symptoms. Given that nearly 80 percent of individuals infected with Zika appear to be asymptomatic, this test is insufficient for most people who will become infected with Zika.”

The legislators also addressed the limitations of current testing practices and the surprising lack of capacity to test all pregnant women who have traveled to, or lived in, areas that are exposed to the virus.

Upton and Murphy requested additional details surrounding the administration’s pursuit of an emergency supplemental appropriation to respond to the Zika virus. Each have requested written responses to the concerns they raised in the initial letter as well as a detailed briefing from HHS regarding the administration’s emergency supplemental request by April 12.