The ongoing spread of coronavirus represents a significant public health issue, with estimates suggesting that up to 18 million Americans could be impacted. This has drawn the attention of Sen. Todd Young, who urged Secretary Kennedy to prioritize research on long COVID during last year’s confirmation hearing. Recently, senators revisited this topic during this year’s budget hearing, where the Secretary shared updates on the Department’s efforts to identify biomarkers and promised to keep pursuing this research.
This is reassuring. For most, the COVID-19 pandemic feels like a haunting memory, but for many Americans, the effects are painfully real. Even now, individuals are grappling with Long COVID, experiencing a range of symptoms such as cognitive difficulties, extreme fatigue, autonomic dysfunction, and various neurological issues. Sadly, there are no concrete diagnostic tests available, no complete understanding of the disease’s development, and no definitive treatments.
Throughout my medical career in the U.S. Army, at the University of Maryland, and in Civil Service, I’ve dedicated my efforts to combating various diseases. Presently, a large part of my work involves assisting patients impacted by Long COVID. The current situation reminds me of my early experiences with AIDS, before it became a research priority for NIH and HHS.
More than three decades ago, I observed academia, federal agencies, and industry rally together to tackle AIDS. Those initiatives transformed a once-fatal disease into something manageable; now individuals living with HIV can lead healthy lives. This change was made possible by significant governmental investments in innovation, similar to how President Trump funded Operation Warp Speed during the COVID-19 pandemic for rapid vaccine development.
Despite the many missteps in handling COVID-19, quick vaccine development to protect at-risk groups was a success. Given the magnitude of Long COVID, it would be wise for President Trump to instruct his team to ramp up research efforts aimed at finding effective treatments.
Unfortunately, the NIH has fallen short. It hasn’t adequately invested in understanding COVID-19’s pathogenesis or in developing necessary diagnostic tests.
In 2025, the government began scaling back efforts as the pandemic was deemed over. Research offices focused on long COVID were closed, and funding was slashed. The CDC and NIH stated they wouldn’t waste public money on a ‘non-existent’ pandemic despite ongoing issues.
This perception is misleading, and it has consequences. The costs associated with long COVID—both in terms of lost productivity and medical expenses—continue to burden the U.S. economy to the tune of hundreds of billions each year. Research that could have greatly reduced these expenses was curtailed just when breakthroughs seemed imminent. There has been some reversal of these cuts, but overall funding for Long COVID research is lacking. More needs to be done.
Now is the time to enhance efforts in discovering treatment options for the 18 million individuals struggling with long-term COVID symptoms. Simply put, NIH must ramp up its funding for long COVID research.
I appreciate Secretary Kennedy’s commitment to addressing chronic illnesses. We urge him and the Administration to take serious action on the emerging issue of Long COVID. AIDS, once a lethal mystery, is now manageable. The same potential exists for Long COVID if we invest in the necessary research and clinical initiatives. This is a crucial moment for HHS and industry to act, offering millions of suffering Americans the chance to live free from the constraints of Long COVID.
