Scottsdale, Ariz., February 24, 2014—Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) issued a letter of support for the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) investigation of valley fever, urging the local medical community to participate in the project.

“This investigation by ADHS, CDC, and our county health departments will provide critical missing data for researchers working to find better treatment options for those crippled by this disease,” Schweikert said in his letter to area healthcare providers and hospital groups.

ADHS announced their partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the health departments of Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties to conduct an investigation of coccidiodomycosis (valley fever) in outpatients with community-acquired pneumonia.

“This collaboration is one more step in the right direction toward understanding this disease that affects so many Arizonans,” Schweikert said of the study. “I hope these efforts and support from the CDC will provide the much needed data that will lead to better plans for clinical trials and reveal a more robust understanding of the burden of this disease on our communities.”

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Congressman David Schweikert represents Arizona’s 6^th District. He is co-chair of the Valley Fever Task Force, a House panel whose goal is to help educate the public and encourage research and development for a cure. For more information about Valley Fever, visit the Center for Disease Control at https://cdc.gov/fungal/.