HHS Secretary Price resigns. Effect on TBD working group is unknown.
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price resigned his post today, amid questions regarding his use of private jets for government business trips.
Unknown at this point is what effect this development will have on the proposed Tick-Borne Disease (TBD) Working Group that Price was expected to name within the next few weeks.
The TBD Working Group was something that the Lyme community worked hard to have included in the 21st Century Cures Act, passed by Congress and signed into law in 2016.
This past July, Price announced that he was seeking nominations for the working group, which was intended to include representatives of diverse viewpoints regarding Lyme disease–including Lyme patients and advocates.
Many Lyme organizations, including LymeDisease.org, put forth names for the Secretary’s consideration. Price had been expected to announce his choices within the next few weeks.
All that is thrown into uncertainty now.
Sad, but I’m still glad he left.
It is sad that Mr. Price was found doing what he is accused of. It is even worse that it is likely that the next secretary will not have the same drive to push this working group forward as it is needed. One more straw for the camel back.
Don’t be so sure. My hope is that the next Secretary of HHS will be more Lyme-literate. Price came from the same state, and I think, not sure, the same district, where the CDC is located. I’m not sure he was willing to make real change in regards to tick borne diseases.
Ugh. Laying here in bed on IV and oxygen reading that this important workin group may be delayed is absolutely heartbreaking. We don’t have time for delays. We need solutions now. We need answers now. We need help now. Every day that goes by brings more sick people who are helpless. My plea to the next secretary is please, please, please, let the work that has been done stand – let the nominations stand – and push for this group to get off the ground so we can keep future victims from become sick.