IDSA President Paul Auwaerter, MBA, MD
Critical research and programmatic responses require maintaining and in many cases increasing support. The funding bill for fiscal year 2018 passed by Congress and signed by the President on Friday reflects a commitment to tackling some the greatest public health threats we face.
The membership of the Infectious Disease Society of America appreciates the attention Congress has paid to address new tools and strategies for meeting 21st-century medical challenges. The NIH received $37.084 billion overall, reflecting a $3 billion increase that includes a $50 million increase for antimicrobial resistance efforts and $5.260 billion for the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.The increased funding recognizes the essential role of the Fogarty International Center in building global research partnerships and capacities. We welcome our representatives’ acknowledgment of serious domestic and public health needs that merit $8.005 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that includes $168 million for the CDC Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative program -- a $5 million increase over the FY 2017 level. Additional CDC-specific funding includes $488.6 million for the Center for Global Health, a $53.5 million increase in funding over FY17, and $1.127 billion for the Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, TB Prevention, a $10 million increase in funding over FY17. More will be needed to support sufficiently the CDC-led Global Health Security Agenda programs. We also appreciate the $20 million increase in USAID global TB investments reflecting $261 million for leading responses to the disease around the world. Sustained funding for the U.S.-led global infectious disease responses includes the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and USAID’s HIV/AIDS Program. The $72.6 million for USAID global health security agenda which with unspent Ebola emergency funding does allot $172.6 million for activities that protect Americans by stopping outbreaks before they reach our borders.
Challenges remain, and the threats of emerging infectious diseases will never abate. We look forward to discussing the concerns and the needs with our Senators and Representatives in the months to come. Together we hope to put forward the best orts to detect, prevent, and respond to infectious diseases at home and abroad. High priorities for FY 2018 remain to reverse the growing crisis antimicrobial resistance, support research and development to gain urgently needed diagnostic tools, medicines, and vaccines and controlling the HIV epidemics for FY 2019.