Joint LHHS, D0D Agreement Advances Critical Health Responses

The Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Defense Department Senate and House conference agreement released Thursday demonstrates legislators’ commitment to tackling some of the most critical health issues our nation faces. The agreement includes a $263 million increase in funding for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases supporting essential biomedical research and development, and $5 million added to 2018 funding levels for HIV, hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the increase reflected in the $1.132 billion allotted to CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, keeps funding for the four main divisions at 2018 levels, it also includes an allotment for a new center-wide initiative to prioritize areas most at risk for outbreaks of HIV and hepatitis due to injection drug use and the opioid epidemic, an important step in combating an ongoing crisis.

In addition, with sustained funding for CDC’s global health security activities, and $50 million for the newly established Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Fund at CDC, as well as a $25 million increase for Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority the agreement provides valuable support for health security measures, at home and worldwide. An increase of $37 million for antimicrobial resistance research at the National Institutes of Health and continued level funding for the CDC Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative support strengthened and sustained efforts to counter a growing threat to public health and modern medicine.

While funding provided for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, Title X Family Planning Program, and Minority AIDS Initiative remains level, the agreement significantly rejects harmful cuts proposed by the administration and House Appropriations bill.

The agreement reflects cooperation and compromise in the interests of global and domestic public health, as well with:   

• An overall $2 billion increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health   
• A $3 million increase in funding for the NIH Fogarty International Center    
• $168 million overall for the CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative    
• An overall allotment of $488 million for the CDC Center for Global Health with $128 million for HIV/AIDS    
• The removal of harmful policy riders that were included in the House L-HHS proposal, including a prohibition of federal funds for operating supervised consumption facilities.   

The Infectious Diseases Society of America and the HIV Medicine Association recognize the work that went into developing the agreement and urge the House and Senate to act swiftly on this funding measure.