Secretary Kennedy Convenes Lyme Disease Patients and Providers to Announce New Diagnostic Efforts
WASHINGTON — December 15, 2025 — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today convened Lyme disease patients, clinicians, and researchers for a roundtable on diagnostics and clinical needs moderated by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The event fulfills commitments made in the Make America Healthy Again Commission Strategy Report [PDF, 21.85 MB] to address chronic and often unseen illnesses that affect millions of Americans.“For decades, Americans suffering from Lyme disease have been denied the accurate diagnostics and meaningful care they deserve,” said Secretary Kennedy. “Today’s actions push us decisively toward reliable testing and treatment grounded in the real-world experiences of patients. We are committed to delivering the tools that families have waited far too long to receive.”Participants shared their experiences and recommendations on improving care and advancing research. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Representatives Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) also engaged in the discussions.As part of today’s event, HHS announced the renewal of the LymeX Innovation Accelerator with the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation that began during President Trump’s first term. Established in 2020, LymeX is the largest public-private partnership ever built to improve Lyme disease diagnostics and care. The $10 million initiative will advance artificial intelligence tools that support earlier and more accurate detection across stages of infection.....
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