§247b–23 National strategy and regional centers of excellence in vector-borne diseases

Summary

The Secretary of Health and Human Services must create and carry out a national plan to fight diseases spread by insects and ticks, including tick-borne diseases. The plan must find gaps and unnecessary overlap in federal programs, set goals and measurable benchmarks, and be updated when needed. The Secretary must also coordinate data collection, research, and the development of tests, treatments, vaccines, and related work across HHS and with other federal agencies. In making the plan, the Secretary must work with the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group and may consult experts such as epidemiologists who study these diseases; representatives of patient advocacy and research groups; health information technology or data specialists; clinicians, entomologists, vector-control and public health professionals; and researchers, including those who do translational research. The Secretary, together with the CDC Director, must give grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to colleges and universities to create or support regional centers of excellence in vector-borne diseases. Those centers must help universities and public health groups work together on surveillance, prevention, and response; train public-health entomologists and other health workers; do research to develop and test prevention and control tools; and prepare for and respond to outbreaks. To get funding, applicants must submit an application describing how they will do these activities. Awardees must send a summary of funded programs within one year of the award and yearly after that. The Secretary must report progress to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives not later than 4 years after December 20, 2019. Up to $10,000,000 is authorized for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.