Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, Mark Kelly introduce bill to fund valley fever research

Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly have introduced legislation aimed at minimizing the effects of fungal diseases such as valley fever on the Southwest.

Sinema, D-Ariz., and Kelly, D-Ariz., are working with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on the Finding Orphan-disease Remedies With Antifungal Research and Development Act of 2022, or the FORWARD Act of 2022, in an effort to curb rising case numbers.

The FORWARD Act would fund research and vaccine development for valley fever by allocating $500 million over the course of a four-year period. The bill specifies that 10% or more of the funding is required to be put toward the development of antifungal products.

The bill additionally establishes a working group within the Department of Health and Human Services to strategize research and prevention plans. The working group would consist of members from the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, working physicians with experience in treating fungal disease, fungal disease researchers, patients with fungal diseases and other relevant parties.

In a written statement, Sinema said funding research and vaccine development to combat valley fever would not only protect Arizonans from fungal disease, but also would “strengthen (Arizona’s) public health response against future infectious diseases.”

Valley fever is caused by a fungus called Coccidioides, which grows in Southwestern states, including Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. The illness is known to affect both humans and dogs, and symptoms of valley fever can often include respiratory illness, fatigue and fevers. In rare cases, valley fever can be deadly.

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, valley fever infection rates have been steadily increasing since 2014, with Arizona leading the nation in total cases. In 2019, there were 18,407 known valley fever cases nationwide, with Arizona accounting for 56% of all cases.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, there were 11,616 known cases in Arizona in 2021, a 1.8% increase from 2020. At the time of publication, 258 cases have been reported in Arizona in 2022.

“Valley fever continues to pose a health risk to Arizonans and many across the southwest. Our legislation ensures we support and invest in the tools needed to tackle Valley fever head-on,” Kelly said in a written statement.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: $500M valley fever bill from Sens. Sinema, Kelly would fund research