October 14, 2020 - On Tuesday, Congressman Kevin McCarthy responded to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ (NIAID) notice of 
funding opportunity to establish a Coccidioidomycosis Collaborative Research Centers (CCRC) program to create research teams to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Valley Fever. This follows a letter that Congressman McCarthy sent to NIH Director Francis Collins and NIAID Director Anthony Fauci last month in support of the Valley Fever collaborative research centers.
McCarthy released the following statement:
“I applaud NIAID for the decision to move forward with establishing Valley Fever research teams and issuing a funding opportunity announcement with the intention to commit $6 million in Fiscal Year 2022. Our community and California’s Central Valley are uniquely impacted by Valley Fever with the California Department of Public Health ranking Kern County first in the number of Valley Fever cases in 2019. Particularly with the emergence of COVID-19, which presents similar symptoms to Valley Fever, it is now more important than ever to double down our efforts to better understand and treat this fungal disease.”
Background:
- In June 2020, the NIAID Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) Council approved a proposed concept to establish collaborative Valley Fever research centers.
- During this DMID meeting, NIH recognized Rep. McCarthy’s instrumental leadership to bring awareness to Valley Fever.
- On September 15, 2020, Reps. McCarthy and Schweikert sent NIH Director Collins and NIAID Director Fauci a letter in support of this proposed concept. You can view the letter here.
Source: Congressman Kevin McCarthy
Related: Congressmen Kevin McCarthy and David Schweikert Send Letter of Support to National Institutes of Health on Proposed Valley Fever Research Centers
