This bill creates a new federal effort to tackle diseases that primarily affect people living in poverty, like Chagas disease and hookworm infection. These are serious, long-lasting illnesses caused by parasites and bacteria that are often overlooked because they mainly impact poor communities.

Here's what the bill does: It sets up a task force within the Department of Health and Human Services to come up with recommendations for fighting these diseases. The government will also work to educate doctors and the public about these illnesses so they're recognized and treated properly. Additionally, the bill funds research to develop affordable vaccines and treatments that won't break the bank for people who need them most.

On the practical side, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will give money to states to set up systems for tracking these diseases and identifying cases. Community health centers that serve low-income patients will receive grants to help them diagnose and treat people with these conditions. The bill also creates special research centers focused entirely on finding better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat these neglected diseases of poverty.

STOP Neglected Diseases of Poverty Act

Booker, Cory A.

Study, Treat, Observe, and Prevent Neglected Diseases of Poverty Act or the STOP Neglected Diseases of Poverty Act This bill establishes a task force, a grant program, and other efforts to address neglected diseases of poverty in the United States. (Neglected diseases of poverty are chronic and disabling diseases that are caused by parasites, bacteria, and other pathogens and that primarily impact those living in extreme poverty, such as Chagas disease or hookworm infection.) Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services must (1) establish an interagency task force to provide recommendations for addressing the diseases, (2) increase awareness among health care providers and the public about the diseases, and (3) support research into affordable vaccines and other therapeutics for the diseases. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must provide grants to (1) states to implement surveillance systems for the diseases; and (2) federally qualified health centers to implement guidelines for the diagnosis, control, and treatment of the diseases. The bill also authorizes one or more centers of excellence for researching and developing methods to diagnose, prevent, control, and treat the diseases.