Overview
- House-passed NDAA language directs the Government Accountability Office to examine whether Lyme disease was bioengineered by the U.S. military, with Senate approval and the president’s signature expected this week.
- Rep. Chris Smith authored the provision after earlier attempts in 2019 and 2021 and cites author Kris Newby’s work, saying he will accept a finding that rules out a military role.
- At an HHS roundtable on Dec. 15, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vowed a renewed focus on diagnosis and told patients "the gaslighting of Lyme patients is over," a shift that follows his past promotion of a military bioweapon theory.
- HHS announced a dedicated online Lyme portal, renewal of the LymeX public–private partnership, a $10 million initiative to develop AI tools for earlier and more accurate detection, and plans for centers of excellence; NIH highlighted ongoing studies and a Lyme framework slated for early 2026.
- Public health authorities attribute Lyme to Borrelia bacteria spread by ticks and discourage the term "chronic Lyme," with estimates nearing 450,000 U.S. diagnoses annually and experts pointing to climate and land‑use changes as contributors.