NCSD Congratulates Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo On NIAID Appointment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 2, 2023

Contact: Elizabeth Finley, efinley@ncsddc.org, (919) 749-7309

Washington, DC – Following the announcement by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) today on the selection of Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, currently the director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, as the new as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), David C. Harvey, Executive Director of NCSD, issued the following statement:

“We are thrilled that Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo was selected for this important leadership position within the NIH, and we want to congratulate her on this new role. Dr. Marrazzo has devoted her career to fighting sexually transmitted infections. As one of the STI field’s very own, her leadership within NIAID will be essential to elevating the work to end America’s escalating STI epidemic.

“Currently, the STI sector is facing a dire situation due to rising infection rates, level funding, and new cuts to the STI workforce that will severely hamper the work we do to keep communities safe. At the same time, we know that STI programs and clinics need new tools to head off the growing threat of STIs, and we need a strong NIH leading the way on clinical trials and implementation research.  Dr. Marrazzo’s expertise in STIs provides exactly the lens we need to ensure there is support for a strong STI research agenda that prioritizes the development of new vaccines, antibiotics, and diagnostic tools the nation needs. We are grateful to have Dr. Marrazzo’s expertise guiding NIAID’s work and we know we can count on her partnership as the government presses forward on the whole-of-government response it aspires to in the new Federal STI Implementation Plan.”

“We need NIH to lead the way on a strong STI research agenda while we work to shore up CDC’s support for state and local governmental public health STI prevention programs and the DIS workforce. As Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo steps into this role at NIAID, we know STIs will be taken seriously in the national policy environment and I look forward to supporting her agenda,”  said David C. Harvey, Executive Director of the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD).

Background: The STI Epidemic in the U.S. 

In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its 2021 STD Surveillance Data showing that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have reached a new record high for the eighth year in a row. Among the findings, the data indicates a 74% increase in syphilis over five years, as well as 2,800 congenital syphilis cases in 2021, including 220 that resulted in infant deaths. The data also shows chlamydia rates that have risen up to pre-pandemic levels after cases went undetected during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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About The National Coalition of STD Directors

The National Coalition of STD Directors is a national public health membership organization representing health department STD directors, their support staff, and community-based partners across 50 states, seven large cities, and eight U.S. territories. Our mission is to advance effective STD prevention programs and services across the country. NCSD does this as the voice of our membership. We provide leadership, build capacity, convene partners, and advocate. Go to ncsddc.org for more information.