As part of a broader restructuring, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is dissolving its office dedicated to long COVID, according to an internal message shared by the office’s leader.
Ian Simon, who oversees the Office of Long COVID Research and Practice, did not inform employees about whether they would continue working in other parts of the federal government. He also didn’t specify when the office would officially cease operations, Politico reported after reviewing the email.
“We are writing to let you know that the Office of Long COVID Research and Practice will be closing as part of the administration’s reorganization coming this week,” Simon wrote in the message. “We are proud of what we have accomplished together, advancing understanding, resources, and support for people living with Long COVID.”
A source inside HHS, who requested anonymity to speak freely, warned that dissolving the office could prove more expensive in the long run. Without the centralized structure, government programs could duplicate work and fail to manage the ongoing burden of long COVID, which is expected to strain the healthcare system for years.
“We did the not-sexy, behind-the-scenes work that it takes to make the federal government function well,” the staffer said. “We made sure doctors at the VA are talking to scientists and researchers and epidemiologists at CDC and NIH — that they’re learning from each other. It was a very, very cost-effective way to make sure that people are talking to each other and that we’re making the best use of federal resources.”
According to the same staff member, the National Institutes of Health’s $1 billion-plus investment in the RECOVER Initiative will reportedly proceed, funding long COVID clinical trials. However, they warned that eliminating the office would damage collaboration among agencies and create gaps in services for those affected.
Government estimates show the impact of long COVID is far-reaching. The CDC says roughly 6% of U.S. adults live with the condition, while the NIH places the figure as high as 23 million, encompassing a range from moderate symptoms to disabling illness.
Patient advocates reacted strongly to the shutdown, expressing frustration and accusing the administration of breaking its word. They say the move contradicts commitments made by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his confirmation process, including pledges to prioritize chronic illness.
Created in 2023 within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, the long COVID office was designed to coordinate federal action on the condition and advise agency leaders on long-term strategy and policy.
“The decision to abandon long COVID efforts that support and improve care for the millions of Americans suffering from this condition is unacceptable,” said Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia and a long COVID patient himself, in a comment to Politico. “For what — to cut costs to pay for enormous tax breaks for the rich?”
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