Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf warned lawmakers Wednesday that unless the United States initiates countermeasures to stem the spread of avian influenza, the government may be ill-prepared to respond if the virus mutates and spreads among humans.
While the risk to the general public remains low, he told Senate appropriators in charge of FDA funding that investment to clamp down on the spread of the virus among cattle and poultry would pay dividends. That includes providing protective equipment to dairy workers, conducting research to understand how the virus is evolving and maintaining funding for vaccine manufacturing to be able to ramp up production quickly if needed.
“If we institute the countermeasures now and reduce the spread of the virus now, then we’re much less likely to see a mutation that jumps to humans for which we are ill-prepared,” Califf said.
The FDA is seeking an additional $157 million in federal funding in its fiscal 2025 budget request compared with fiscal 2023. Combined with user fees, the agency seeks $7.2 billion.
