In testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, IDSA President Martin J. Blaser, MD, said that while IDSA supports the president's proposal for $2.3 billion in emergency spending for pandemic influenza preparedness, the Society is deeply concerned about longer-term cuts to other parts of the budget.
"Infectious diseases are the third leading cause of death among Americans," Dr. Blaser said. "Although the president's budget would help build a roof against pandemic influenza, it would weaken the foundation of our public health system at the same time."
An influenza pandemic is an inevitable fact of nature, whether it come from avian flu or some other strain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that in even a "mild" pandemic, U.S. casualties would run into the hundreds of thousands. The president's $2.3 billion request would go toward much-needed improvements in disease surveillance, vaccine and antiviral research and development, and buying enough antivirals to treat 25 percent of the population.
NIH Cuts Threaten Flu, AIDS, TB Research
But the president proposes adding no additional funds to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in FY2007, which would result in a net cut when inflation is taken into account. Flu research at NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is already under-funded. IDSA urged Congress to make a significant investment to develop new antivirals, vaccines, and diagnostics. Also, the lack of sufficient funds will block an essential plan to expand surveillance sites in Asia to monitor the
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Contact: Steve Baragona
sbaragona@idsociety.org
703-299-0412
Infectious Diseases Society of America
30-Mar-2006