Infectious Diseases Society of America applauds increases in public health funding

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) issued a statement of public support last week for the recent congressional passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which helps support a variety of infectious disease programs for public health benefit in the United States and abroad.

The funding bill includes commitments to combat antimicrobial resistance across multiple agencies and increases the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) research funding by approximately $2 billion. In addition, it includes funding for a new emergency reserve fund to respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

The legislation also allows the Fogarty International Center to continue supporting international collaborations with U.S. institutions to assist developing countries in responding to their own infectious disease outbreaks prior to spreading beyond their borders.

“Infectious diseases do not respect borders,” IDSA said. “The legislation demonstrates that Congress recognizes the importance of combating infectious diseases abroad by funding global health programs at the United States Agency for International Development, with increases for malaria efforts and tuberculosis activities.”

IDSA said it is also appreciative of the $8 million increase in global health programs and continued support for preparedness programs for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The organization was, however, disappointed to see a $3.9 million cut for the Section 317 immunization program, which played an important role in preventing infectious disease outbreaks.

“While IDSA appreciates resources for infectious diseases included in the FY2017 omnibus bill, we remain extremely concerned about the drastic reductions in funding for many of NIH, CDC and USAID programs proposed in the administration’s FY2018 budget blueprint,” IDSA said. “As Congress moves forward with the FY2018 appropriations process, IDSA looks forward to working with Congress to ensure full funding for these efforts to protect the health and safety of individuals and families in America and around the world.”