Advocacy - Lab Advocate
ADLM recently joined a broad coalition of professional societies, academic institutions, and companies calling on congressional appropriators to provide $175 million in FY 2027 funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advanced Molecular Detection (AMD) program. In a letter to the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees, the coalition emphasized that AMD has become a foundational component of the nation’s public health and biosecurity infrastructure.
Established in FY 2014, the AMD program supports CDC’s integration of next‑generation genomic sequencing and advanced data analytics into routine public health practice. AMD has significantly strengthened the ability of CDC, state health departments, and local partners to detect, characterize, and track infectious disease threats with greater speed and precision. These capabilities are essential not only for biosurveillance, but also for broader healthcare innovation, including the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
Despite its critical role, AMD is currently funded at approximately $43 million. CDC estimates that up to $175 million in annual funding is needed to fully sustain and expand the infrastructure, partnerships, and surveillance capacity developed in recent years. Increased and sustained investment is necessary to preserve core genomic surveillance capabilities, maintain continuity of operations, and ensure rapid response to emerging and re‑emerging infectious disease threats.
Robust laboratory and public health infrastructure is essential to protecting patients and communities. Continued investment in the AMD program will help ensure earlier outbreak detection, more effective response efforts, and continued U.S. leadership in public health innovation. ADLM remains committed to strengthening the laboratory system and supporting a more prepared, resilient public health system.