Deal To Fight Zika Virus Boosts NIH, CDC Efforts, But Offers No FDA Review Dollars

A $1.1bn agreement between the House and Senate to fund the emergency Zika virus response gives millions of dollars to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIH, and HHS's biodefense unit, but leaves FDA with no extra funds to support reviews of Zika products. The deal would take dollars from Ebola funding and HHS Affordable Care Act efforts as an offset, and is opposed by the president, who says he will veto it.

In a House-Senate conference committee agreement on Zika virus emergency funding reached late June 22, lawmakers agreed to provide $1.1bn in funds to fight the virus to the National Institutes of Health and several other agencies, but not FDA, which is charged with safety and effectiveness reviews of diagnostics and vaccines.

The Zika Response Appropriations Act is part of the 2017 Military Construction/VA Appropriations bill. The final conference report, House Report 114-640, was agreed to by the House, but still requires a "yes" vote in the Senate

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