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Gillibrand Requests Federal Money to Fight Tick-Borne Illnesses

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NPR News for Central New York (7.9.2024) published the article, “Gillibrand requests federal money to fight tick-borne illnesses.” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is advocating for increased federal funding to combat tick-borne illnesses, particularly Lyme disease. She emphasized that the spread of Lyme disease affects military readiness and national security, highlighting Fort Drum in New York as a significant hotspot. In 2022, New York reported over 16,000 cases of Lyme disease, with nearly half of adult deer ticks carrying the disease-causing bacteria.

Gillibrand noted that suburban development and climate change are expanding tick habitats, heightening the risk of tick-borne illnesses for both civilians and military personnel. She is pushing for nearly $200 million in next year’s federal budget for research and prevention. The proposed allocation includes $30 million for a national strategy by the Department of Health and Human Services, $9 million for the Department of Defense’s Tick-Borne Disease Research Program, $30 million for the CDC, and $130 million for Lyme and tick research at the National Institutes of Health.

She emphasized the importance of educating doctors on recognizing symptoms, as misdiagnoses have been common in the past, causing many patients to believe their symptoms were psychological. Lyme disease can cause severe issues in the nervous system, heart, and joints.

For More Information: 

Read the NPR News for Central New York Article here.

Read more about Congressional Legislation on the LDA website here.