HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell said Thursday she will divert federal funds to support efforts to develop a Zika vaccine.
In a letter sent to congressional leaders, Burwell said some $34 million that was previously committed toward researching other illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and cancer would be re-allocated.
An additional $47 million from other agencies will go to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA. The agencies that will lose funds are the Administration for Children and Families, which provides assistance to poor families, as well as the CMS and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
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