HHS chief teams up with Dennis Quaid to boost Lyme disease awareness

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. enlisted actor Dennis Quaid in a video initiative to raise public attention to Lyme disease and related tick-borne conditions. Kennedy described the department's "bold new actions," which include speeding up research, improving patient services, and creating AI-driven diagnostic tools. He highlighted the recent launch of two FDA-cleared Lyme tests achieved through collaboration with the LymeX community.

Additionally, HHS announced a $2.5 million grant program, the LymeX Innovation Accelerator, in partnership with the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. In May, Kennedy set a goal to reduce Lyme cases by 25 percent by 2035 and called on lawmakers to approve the Kay Hagan Tick Act. He also noted that the National Institutes of Health is allocating nearly $50 million to Lyme disease research and $122 million to broader tick-borne disease studies.