HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., visiting New Hampshire on Friday, announced a variety of new programs, including new research funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve diagnostics and prevent the spread of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.There are roughly 476,000 new cases of Lyme in the United States each year, according to the nonprofit group Global Lyme Alliance.
People treated quickly with antibiotics during the early stages of Lyme disease typically recover quickly, but researchers estimate between 10% and 20% of patients who undergo early-stage treatment remain symptomatic.
Researchers estimate there are roughly 2 million people in the U.S. who suffer from post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, a debilitating, prolonged condition after the initial infection.
Lyme disease advocates contend those with lingering symptoms following initial infection are frequently dismissed by healthcare professionals, but Kennedy said addressing chronic Lyme symptoms is “a top HHS priority.”
“We are listening to patients, following the science, and taking action,” Kennedy said. “Americans deserve answers. They deserve gold standard science and a healthcare system that treats suffering seriously.”
