The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is deeply concerned that the proposed American Health Care Act under consideration in Congress would repeal the Prevention and Public Health Fund.
The Prevention and Public Health Fund helps keep our country safe from infectious diseases threats like Ebola and Zika. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rely on the Fund for 12.5% of their total budget. These monies support essential public health activities, including state and local laboratory capacity, healthcare associated infection (HAI) prevention activities, and the Section 317 Immunization Program. Laboratory capacity includes expert personnel and training, diagnostics and other equipment and systems for federal, state and local health departments to facilitate rapid detection and response to outbreaks. In recent years, the U.S. has progressed in reducing the incidence of some HAI’s due in large part to CDC’s leadership and support. However, significant needs remain, particularly for addressing HAI’s caused by antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. The Section 317 program is vital to ensure that all children receive medically recommended immunizations to protect them against serious illnesses including measles, pertussis, and influenza, and to support mass immunization efforts in response to outbreaks.
IDSA supports the continuation of the Prevention and Public Health Fund. If the fund is repealed, IDSA strongly encourages Congress to fully replace it in CDC’s budget. Removing the Fund’s resources would result in significant budget gaps that would hinder CDC and state and local health department efforts, leaving the US vulnerable to the next Ebola, Zika or flu pandemic.