In the Press...
The Lakewood Scoop article on Smith Lyme disease amendment'RFK Jr., Smith Push Solutions to Tick-borne Disease Pandemic'By The Lakewood Scoop Congressman Chris Smith, the longtime Co-Chair of the Congressional Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Caucus, joined Kennedy this week at a high-level Lyme Disease Roundtable convened by HHS to address what both leaders described as a growing public health crisis. The discussion brought together federal health officials, members of Congress, medical experts, and Lyme disease patients to explore new diagnostics, therapies, and long-term care options. Lyme disease cases continue to rise throughout the country, with New Jersey among the hardest-hit states. Smith, who has authored and championed numerous laws to increase federal funding for Lyme research, said the disease has been ignored for far too long. Kennedy credited Smith with securing critical funding and helping elevate the issue nationally, stating that federal agencies are now committed to ending what he described as the “gaslighting” of Lyme disease patients. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that physicians nationwide can recognize symptoms, properly test for Lyme, and guide patients to effective treatment.
During the roundtable, Kennedy announced several significant initiatives, including the renewal of the $10 million LymeX Innovation Accelerator, which will support the development of improved diagnostic tools through a public-private partnership, and the expansion of Medicare’s Chronic Care Management program to include Lyme disease patients, reducing financial barriers and improving coordinated care for those suffering from chronic symptoms. Smith praised the announcements as a turning point, calling the discussions “beacons of hope” for patients who have long struggled to obtain answers and proper treatment. He said stronger diagnostic standards and improved therapies are critical steps toward finally addressing what many patients describe as an invisible yet debilitating illness.
The meeting follows another major development in federal Lyme research efforts: the recent House passage of Smith’s amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The measure calls for a comprehensive investigation into whether the U.S. government experimented with ticks as potential biological warfare delivery mechanisms during the Cold War era. The amendment requires an exhaustive review of military and federal research conducted between 1945 and 1972 involving tick-borne bacteria. The legislation, inspired in part by the sharp rise of Lyme disease cases in New Jersey and the book Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons, is expected to be taken up by the Senate in the coming days. Smith said uncovering the origins of Lyme disease, improving diagnostics, and expanding treatment options are all essential to improving quality of life for patients and families affected by the illness. |
