The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a new range of sweeping, multi-million-dollar LymeX initiatives. In partnership with the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, the HHS aims to transform how Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses are prevented, diagnosed, and treated.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the strategy during his Take Back Your Health tour in New Hampshire. It represents one of the most ambitious US federal efforts to date.
More than 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year. Recent data also shows emergency room visits for tick bites are rising. They recently reached their highest springtime level in nearly a decade.
As the threat increases, the department’s key aim is to reduce Lyme disease cases by 25% by 2035, compared to 2022 figures.
Times Square billboard, New York, USA
(Credit: Lyme Treatment Foundation)
Key US priorities in the fight against Lyme disease
The new plans reflect a major increase in funding and innovation. They target the disease from initial wildlife transmission through to advanced patient care.
Disrupting the tick lifecycle at the source
A new multi-million-dollar pilot program is the centerpiece of this strategy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and HHS will lead the project, working with the New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases. Researchers will deploy practical strategies to eliminate ticks directly on wildlife. Lowering tick populations on animals ultimately protects humans. This targeted intervention aims to slow down overall disease transmission.
$2.5 million in LymeX innovation challenges
HHS is launching three new high-impact LymeX challenges designed to crowd-source tech and medical breakthroughs:
TOPx HHS Tech Sprint for AI ($2 Million): Includes a $1 million grand prize and harnesses artificial intelligence and open data. The goal is to help patients with invisible illnesses like Lyme secure faster diagnoses and access care more quickly.
LymeX Healthathon Innovation Sprint ($250,000): Focuses on identifying frontline medical solutions. It will specifically look at novel uses of existing medicines and drug repurposing strategies.
LymeX Visible Voices Prize ($250,000): Funds next-generation educational tools. It supports public awareness campaigns built with direct input from patients and clinicians.
Tackling Alpha-gal syndrome
With estimates showing nearly 500,000 Americans may be living with Alpha-gal syndrome (a tick-associated condition causing severe allergic reactions to mammalian meat and associated products), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is stepping in.
The NIH has started to identify promising options to protect individuals from developing the syndrome after a tick bite, and will fund the critical clinical research needed to evaluate them.
Improving direct access to experienced Lyme disease practitioners
In a major step forward for patient care, HHS announced a new public-private collaboration with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). Patients will soon be able to access the ILADS clinician locator tool through the official US federal portal, seamlessly connecting individuals with experienced providers and educational resources for chronic tick-borne conditions.
Looking ahead
These initiatives build directly on the ongoing success of LymeX. Through this ecosystem, HHS previously launched a US $10 million LymeX Diagnostics Prize which has already helped bring two improved FDA-cleared Lyme disease diagnostics to the market over the past two years (IGeneX Lyme ImmunoBlot IgM Test #325 and IgG Test #335).
HHS expects to provide additional details on the newly announced Alpha-gal and AI programs in the coming months as part of its broader effort to accelerate innovation and improve outcomes for families affected by tick-borne illnesses.
Read the official announcement about the new LymeX initiatives.