HHS Budget Proposal Guts the CDC and its Lyme Programs
Programs focused on minorities, tribes, rural health, ME/CFS, and HIV/AIDS are also on the chopping block.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is being stripped of many of its public health and chronic disease programs, narrowing its focus to its original mission—protecting Americans from health threats.
According to a leaked budget proposal posted to the “Inside Medicine” substack, two Lyme disease programs are slated for cancellation: CDC Lyme research ($27M in FY2025) and the LymeX diagnostics innovation ($5M in FY2025). A massive elimination of rural health grants and mental health programs for children, tribes, and minorities will also harm those vulnerable to tick- and flea-borne diseases.
It's unclear what will happen to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Lyme and tick-borne disease research funding, which was $43M in FY2025.
Many of the CDC’s disease programs are being moved to a new centralized group called the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), headed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The AHA was created as part of a larger restructuring of HHS to address chronic disease and improve efficiency.
“Over time, bureaucracies like HHS become wasteful and inefficient even when most of their staff are dedicated and competent civil servants,” Secretary Kennedy said. “This overhaul will be a win-win for taxpayers and for those that HHS serves. That’s the entire American public, because our goal is to Make America Healthy Again.”
But all this is cold comfort to the Lyme community, whose members and advocates have worked for decades to increase research funding and improve diagnostics and treatments. Reestablishing relationships, expertise, and funding could take years.
To help, contact Congress and watch the Center for Lyme Action website for calls-to-action.
To read more on the proposed budget:
Inside Medicine: https://substack.com/home/post/p-161498247
The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/04/16/hhs-budget-cut-trump/
Having undiagnosed Lyme disease from 1980 to 2016 I support this move. These so called healthcare agencies had 50 years to DO SOMETHING. They failed conclusively.
Learning who these agencies actually are was the only silver-lining to my ordeal. I knew better than to accept anything they suggested going forward.
I took 3 months of Antabuse to break the disease in 2021. Today many are saying that Ivermectin is working to beat Lyme disease. (IVM should be a far less challenging choice compared to Antabuse, imo).
God-bless this administration’s efforts to get to the bottom of what I believe to be yet another weapon formed against us by “our” government.
This is so long over-due. Now, let’s get to the real truth about Lyme disease and how we got here. Thank You sincerely RFK Jr.
Read “Bitten” by Kris Newby for the rest of the story.
As you are publishing material for an alarmist reaction, many of us with actual real-life experience with a child with chronic Lyme Disease and all of its manifestations, are agreeing with everything the Trump administration is doing regarding restructuring federal government health agencies. The medical community shades their eyes when it comes to blatantly obvious symptoms of neurological Lyme Disease. It is sinister and confusing to those seeking relief from a very complex health emergency. Who did and does have the knowledge to assist with overcoming Lyme disease? Functional/alternative medical doctors - all threatened with loss of their medical licenses. Are you interested in hearing our stories? I'm always willing to share our miraculous personal story of my now-grown child's recovery after four tortuous years with debilitating Lyme disease. CDC.....are you listening??