Bill Language
Both Houses of Congress use "chronic Lyme disease" and "persistent infection" language to direct federal agencies in their respective roles on Lyme disease. Read both the Senate and House language below.
Senate Appropriations Language
Lyme Disease – The Committee encourages the CDC to expand its activities related to developing sensitive and more accurate diagnostic tools and test for Lyme disease including the timely evaluation of emerging diagnostic methods and improving utilization of diagnostic testing to account for the multiple clinical manifestations of acute and chronic Lyme disease; to expand its epidemiological research activities on tick-borne diseases (TBDs) to include an objective to determine the long-term course of illness for Lyme disease; to improve surveillance and reporting of Lyme and other TBDs in order to produce more accurate data on the prevalence of Lyme and other TBDs; to evaluate the feasibility of developing a national reporting system on Lyme including laboratory reporting; and to expand prevention of Lyme and TBDs through increased community-based public education and creating a physician education program that includes the full spectrum of scientific research on the diseases.
Lyme Disease – The Committee encourages the NIAID to sponsor a scientific conference on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases that would represent the broad spectrum of scientific views on Lyme disease and include input from individuals with Lyme disease. The Committee also encourages NIH to intensify research that will increase understanding of the full range of Lyme disease processes and the physiology of Borrelia burgdorferi, including the mechanisims of persistent infection, and research that may lead to the development of more sensitive and accurate diagnostic tests for Lyme disease capable of distinguishing between active and past infections.
Lyme Disease – The Committee encourages AHRQ to create a comprehensive clearinghouse of peer-reviewed tick-borne diseases literature that will include literature on persistent infection, appropriately organized for use by the scientific community, treating physicians, and the public.
Lyme Disease – The Committee urges the Secretary to improve interagency coordination and communication and minimize overlap regarding efforts to address tick-borne diseases. The Secretary is encouraged to advise relevant Federal agencies on priorities related to Lyme and tick-borne diseases, identify future research needs, and involve CDC, NIH, FDA, and other agencies in the development of a more accurate system of diagnosing and reporting of Lyme disease.
House Appropriations Language
Tick-borne Diseases. − The Committee directs the Secretary to review the coordination of efforts across HHS operating divisions with respect to tick-borne diseases to ensure that: a broad spectrum of scientific viewpoints is represented in public health policy decisions, accurate information is disseminated to the public and physicians, and actions are taken by the Department that will foster significant progress in the development and adoption of improved diagnostics for Lyme disease. The Department shall submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate with the findings from this review not later than September 30, 2010.
Lyme Disease. − The Committee encourages CDC to expand its activities related to developing sensitive and more accurate diagnostic tools and tests for Lyme disease, including the evaluation of emerging diagnostic methods and improving utilization of diagnostic testing to account for the multiple clinical manifestations of acute and chronic Lyme disease; to expand its epidemiological research activities on tick-borne diseases to include an objective to determine the long-term course of illness for Lyme disease; to improve surveillance and reporting of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases in order to produce more accurate data on their prevalence; to evaluate the feasibility of developing a national reporting system on Lyme disease, including laboratory reporting; and to expand prevention of Lyme and tick-borne diseases through increased community-based public education and creating a physician education program that includes the full spectrum of scientific research on the diseases.
The National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases provides national and international scientific and programmatic leadership addressing zoonotic, vector·borne, foodborne, waterborne, mycotic, and related infections to identify, investigate, diagnose, treat, and prevent these diseases. The programs focus on the continuing challenge of emerging and re·emerging zoonoses and the ecologies from which these diseases have emerged, while recognizing the importance of working collaboratively, not just across CDC and the traditional public health community, but also, with agricultural, wildlife, companion animal, and environmental agencies and organizations. Within the total for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases, the Committee includes the following amounts:
Lyme Diseases.− The Committee encourages NIH to intensify research on tick-borne diseases including research that will increase understanding of the full range of Lyme disease processes and the physiology of Borrelia burgdorferi, including the mechanisms of persistent infection. Recognizing NIH’s collaborative role with CDC and other agencies in the development of diagnostics, the Committee encourages NIH to support research that may lead to the development of more sensitive and accurate diagnostic tests for Lyme disease capable of distinguishing between active and past infections. The Committee encourages the Director, in collaboration with the Director of NIAD, to sponsor a scientific conference on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. The Committee believes that the conference should represent the broad spectrum of scientific views on Lyme disease and should provide a forum for public participation and input from individuals with Lyme disease.”