WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), which represents more than 10,000 infectious diseases physicians and scientists across the country, today announced its endorsement of legislation introduced by U.S Senator Angus King (I-Maine) that aims to control the spread of the Zika virus. In a letter to Senator King, IDSA President Dr. Johan S. Bakken endorsed the Strengthening Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health (SMASH) Act, legislation introduced by Senators King, Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) last month that would reauthorize critical public health tools that support states and localities in their mosquito surveillance and control efforts.

“The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) enthusiastically supports the Strengthening Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health (SMASH) Act, S. 3039. We appreciate your leadership in introducing this important legislation, as its implementation would provide state and local public health authorities the tools necessary to carry out surveillance and control efforts for serious threats such as the Zika virus,” Dr. Bakken wrote.

“The federal government must act quickly to help contain the Zika virus in endemic countries, enhance state/local prevention and response efforts, increase epidemiology and surveillance capacity, and support R&D for vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics. We fear that some of these efforts are now unnecessarily behind,” Dr. Bakken continued. “As we are confronted by other emerging infectious diseases, it will remain critically important to have an appropriately funded infrastructure in place at the onset. […] We believe that your bill is a positive step towards adequately preparing for and responding to mosquito-borne diseases. Thank you for your leadership in promoting public health. We look forward to continuing to work with you and your staff on these critical issues.”

To read IDSA’s full endorsement, click HERE.

The bill has also gained steam in the Senate, with Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Pat Roberts (R-Kans.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) cosponsoring the measure. Representatives Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) and Curt Clawson (R-Fla.) have also introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

The SMASH Act would help give states and localities the tools they need to fight back. More specifically, the bill takes the following three immediate steps to combat the threat of Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases:

• Strengthens our ability to respond to Zika by reauthorizing and improving mosquito control: The legislation reauthorizes and makes targeted improvements to the lapsed Mosquito Abatement Safety and Health (MASH) Act, which was enacted in 2003 in response to the West Nile virus. It also authorizes increased support for state and local mosquito control work – efforts that are critical for controlling and reducing the mosquitos that spread infectious diseases. Under the bill, up to $130 million in grants will be authorized each year in addition to matching funds to state and local governments.

• Improves public health preparedness through laboratory research: The legislation reauthorizes the epidemiology laboratory capacity grants under the Public Health Service Act, which support state and local health departments in surveillance for, and response to, infectious diseases, including Zika. Laboratory capacity plays a pivotal role in preparation for and response to public health threats.

• Inform how we can refine and improve mosquito control: Requires timely study, report, and recommendations by the Government Accountability Office regarding existing mosquito and other vector-borne surveillance and control programs.  This analysis will help Congress to identify opportunities to strengthen our public health preparedness programs in partnerships with states and local communities. Ultimately, such analysis will better protect Americans from emerging mosquito-borne infectious diseases.  Applying the lessons learned from responses to public health threats is critical for continuing to optimize our nation’s medical and public health preparedness and response.

IDSA represents more than 10,000 infectious diseases physicians and scientists devoted to patient care, prevention, public health, education, and research, many of whom care for patients with emerging infectious diseases and witness first-hand the impacts of under-resourced public health systems in the United States and abroad.

The legislation has also been endorsed by the National Pest Management Association, the American Mosquito Control Association, the Entomological Society of America, and Responsible Industry for a Safe Environment.

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