On May 29, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that Secretary Robert F. Kennedy unveiled a comprehensive initiative to address Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. The announcement occurred during a press conference in New Hampshire, one of the states hardest hit by Lyme disease, as part of Kennedy’s Take Back Your Health tour.

The initiative includes a multi-million-dollar pilot program for tick control, up to $2.5 million in innovation challenges for LymeX research, new funding for Alpha-gal syndrome studies, and a patient-provider connection effort. The Department of Health and Human Services states that Lyme disease affects an estimated 476,000 Americans each year, with emergency room visits for tick bites reaching their highest spring level in nearly a decade.

The program aims to target ticks on wildlife before they can spread disease to humans. It will begin with researchers at the New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases and collaborate with tribal communities including the Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts. By disrupting tick breeding cycles, the effort seeks to reduce Lyme disease cases by 25 percent by 2035 compared to 2022 levels.

Additionally, HHS highlighted that nearly 500,000 Americans may be affected by Alpha-gal syndrome, a condition causing severe allergic reactions to red meat and other mammalian products. The initiative also addresses chronic health challenges faced by many Lyme disease patients, including persistent fatigue, pain, cognitive issues, and neurological complications.