New Actions for Lyme Disease Care

Hi, I'm Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., your HHS Secretary.

I'm joined today by my good friend, actor, and patient advocate,

Dennis Quaid. Today, we're announcing bold new actions by the

Trump administration to improve care,

accelerate research, and speed innovation for Americans

living with Lyme disease, with alpha-gal syndrome, and other

tick-borne diseases. Too many Americans spend months or even

years searching for answers. Too many are misdiagnosed, and

too many go untreated. We're changing that.

Nearly half a million Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease

annually, and behind every one of those numbers

is a person, a

family, and a community looking for answers.

I know how devastating that search can be.

My good friend, the late Kris Kristofferson,

spent years living with

a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

But Alzheimer's wasn't the problem.

He actually had Lyme disease, and when doctors finally

diagnosed him correctly in twenty sixteen and started the right

treatment, his symptoms did improve.

His story isn't unique, and that's exactly why these new

actions matter.

That's why HHS is investing millions in innovation to

develop AI-powered tools that improve patient care,

enable earlier diagnoses, and accelerate research to

help eradicate Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

And we're already delivering results.

Over the past two years, HHS has worked with the LymeX community

to help bring two improved FDA-cleared Lyme diagnostics

to market, giving clinicians better tools and helping

more patients get an accurate diagnosis sooner.

And we're also making it easier than ever for patients, that's you out there, to

help move the science forward. If you've had Lyme disease and recovered,

or if you were diagnosed with Lyme disease but still suffer lingering

symptoms, please share your experience through

CureID. That's the free FDA and

NIH app and website that collects real-world treatment

information. And every story shared gives researchers

more

data, strengthens future clinical trials, helps eliminate

misdiagnosis, and improves care for the next patient.

And if you don't yet have a trusted Lyme clinician, we've made that

easier too. Visit

hhs.gov/lyme and use the Lyme

clinician locator to find experienced providers

near you using your zip code.

Together, we can advance science, improve care, and give more

patients the answers they deserve.

We want to get back to a country where families can enjoy the outdoors again,

where kids can spend their summers exploring the woods, camping,

fishing, hiking, playing outside, and parents don't have to

wonder whether a single tick bite could change their child's life

forever.

That's how we make America healthy again. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Produced by the US Department of Health and Human Services