Q&A: STD leaders call for US to declare emergency over congenital syphilis
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Key takeaways:
- HHS has established a task force to address the ongoing rise in congenital syphilis.
- The National Coalition of STD Directors called for additional steps, including the declaration of a public health emergency.
STD leaders this week called on the Biden administration to declare a public health emergency over congenital syphilis and dedicate $1 billion to addressing sexually transmitted infections in the United States.
The National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) made the appeal a week after the CDC released new data showing that cases of congenital syphilis increased more than 10-fold between 2012 and 2022.
It was the latest in a long line of warnings about the ongoing rise in STDs in the U.S. and the rapid growth in cases of congenital syphilis, which has alarmed experts.
HHS announced this week that U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel L. Levine, MD, will chair a newly established federal task force addressing congenital syphilis.
The goal of the task force is to “leverage broad federal resources to reduce rates, promote health equity and share resources with impacted communities,” HHS said in a press release.
We asked NCSD director David C. Harvey, MSW, about the task force and his group’s call for a more robust response to the epidemic.
Healio: What is your reaction to the new task force?
Harvey: It’s critical to see that our nation’s highest health and public health leaders have taken note of rising congenital syphilis numbers. We need this task force to provide the resources communities need to combat congenital syphilis, and we need the task force to engage with stakeholders from the STI sector and from maternal and child health to craft meaningful recommendations.
Healio: You called for the U.S. to declare a public health emergency over congenital syphilis, raising it to the level of COVID-19, the opioid crisis and natural disasters like hurricanes. Why does it deserve this designation?
Harvey: Public health emergencies are about taking practical measures as much as they are about raising awareness. A public health emergency is a tool that provides real power to federal agencies and state and local health departments to respond to congenital syphilis in nimble and smart ways — and to respond much more quickly.
STI leaders have already identified barriers that make it challenging to use existing resources for syphilis testing or treatment, and the public health emergency would give the federal government latitude to help communities overcome those barriers.
Healio: What else should the administration be doing to address the increase in congenital syphilis?
Harvey: We’re calling on the administration to fund a $1 billion response to syphilis that would restore the $400 million that was rescinded from the STI field during this year’s debt ceiling deal and fund a national strategy to lower STI numbers, including syphilis numbers.
Reference:
- HHS. Declarations of a public health emergency. https://aspr.hhs.gov/legal/PHE/Pages/default.aspx.
- NCSD applauds Biden administration and HHS ‘read out’ statement on congenital syphilis. https://www.ncsddc.org/ncsd-applauds-biden-administration-and-hhs-read-out-statement-on-congenital-syphilis/. Published Nov. 15, 2023. Accessed Nov. 16, 2023.
- Readout of ADM Rachel Levine’s visit to Georgia to learn about the impacts of congenital syphilis and syphilis. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/11/15/readout-adm-rachel-levines-visit-georgia-learn-impacts-congenital-syphilis-syphilis.html. Published Nov. 15, 2023. Accessed Nov. 16, 2023.
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