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Health Care

Castor to House Republicans: Half measures won’t prevent Zika from becoming a full-blown challenge to the health of Floridians and Florida’s economy

| Posted in Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With Florida leading the country in the number of reported Zika virus cases, today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa Bay) criticized the Republican leadership in Congress for not only delaying support to fight the spread of the virus that causes severe birth defects, but also for falling short of the needed funding for CDC and NIH prevention and treatments.

U.S. Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler, Kathy Castor Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Research on Medication Used During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

| Posted in Press Release

Today, U.S. Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) and Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced the Safe Medications for Moms and Babies Act, legislation that will increase safety for women who are pregnant and breastfeeding and must take medication. This bipartisan solution will identify major research gaps involving pregnant and lactating women who take prescription medication, and detail ways to promote safer medications for them to use.

U.S. Rep. Castor joined by state, local officials to prevent spread of Zika

| Posted in Press Release

Today U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) was joined by local public health experts, Hillsborough County Mosquito Control and Hillsborough County Healthy Start to rally the community to prepare and fight the Zika virus. U.S. Rep. Castor emphasized, “fighting Zika starts at home" as all speakers urged the public to take action now to prepare for the virus known to cause birth defects. U.S. Rep. Castor also highlighted a study earlier this year that found that Florida and other Gulf coast states are some of the most vulnerable parts of the continental United States for year-round incursion by the Zika. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito which can be found in warm weather climates.

Investing in our inventors

| Posted in Opinion Pieces

Scientific discoveries and inventions in America’s college campus labs are accelerating modern technological progress at an astounding rate. Look at the advancements in 3-D printing, environmentally-friendly manufacturing, genomics and more. Universities and non-profit research institutions are the bedrock for our nation’s innovative work and progress. In 2014 alone, nearly 6,500 U.S. Utility Patents were granted to academic inventors around the world, according to a report by the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association.

U.S. Rep. Castor calls on U.S. HHS to review Gov. Scott's dramatic downward revision of reported HIV infections

| Posted in Press Release

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) today called for a federal review of the Florida Department of Health’s significant downward revision to its reported HIV cases for 2014. After much public discussion over the noteworthy increase in Florida of HIV infections, FDOH recently reduced the number of reported cases from 6,147 to 4,613.