U.S. Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) have introduced the Apply the Science Act which would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an evaluation on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to further research on the value of infection-acquired COVID immunity, the availability of this information and how it impacts CDC decision making, and the value of diagnostics in the COVID-19 response.
Braun
“For too long, the effects of natural immunity for COVID have been disparaged and ignored,” Sen. Braun said. “It’s due time for the federal government to Apply the Science and conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of natural immunity.”
Specifically, the legislation would require GAO to conduct an evaluation on HHS/CDC to assess:
- The current scientific understanding of the duration and effectiveness of COVID-19 immunity resulting from a prior infection, vaccination, or both, including any differences across population groups;
- The extent to which the CDC makes available the information it’s used to inform its policy decisions related to COVID-19 infection acquired immunity;
- The extent to which select foreign countries account for scientific evidence pertaining to COVID-19 infection-acquired immunity when creating public health regulations or guidance; and
- The extent to which diagnostic tests that measure immune response be better utilized in a comprehensive COVID-19 response (particularly for high-risk populations).
GAO is required to send a report to Congress within 18 months.
Click here to read the bill.