Attachment- OPPOSE HB 399

OPPOSE HB 399

Lyme Disease- Laboratory Tests- Written Notice

Existing tests from commercial labs already bear disclaimer warnings stating results may yield false negatives, requiring additional testing.

HB 399 speaks to unspecified Lyme tests when a variety of Lyme tests are currently on the market and more are to be released in the near future, while additional tests are still in the development process.

The bill fails to address monitoring issues, a plan to notify health care professionals, a sunset clause and the proper oversight to be effective.

A Maryland bill with similar intent (SB 891) was introduced in 2012 by the same supporters pushing HB 399, was OPPOSED by Med-Chi, was reported UNFAVORABLE and never advanced out of the 1st Committee.

Physicians have rightfully complained that medical knowledge changes quickly and HB 399 will prevent them from moving forward as testing improves. Examples of improved tests since 2013- Advanced Lab, IGeneX

Informing the public that Lyme tests are not accurate has always been a top priority for all of us for 20+ years and has been publicly reported by the Centers for Disease Control, the IDSA, University of Maryland, local news articles and all of our Support Groups across the State and nation.

For many years, Lyme disease related bills have, without exception, been altered as they moved through the legislative process with a result that has been undesirable and/or detrimental to the public, Lyme patients and doctors who treat them.

The promoters of this bill have a history of bouncing from state to state attempting to get questionable Lyme bills passed: 2010-HB 2 requiring mandatory reporting when it already exists; 2010- HB 290- Lyme doctor protection bill opposed by Lyme doctors; 2010- HB 798- 2^nd task force after the previous task force recently released its final report; 2012- HB 1168- declare May Lyme awareness month when it had been for 20 plus years; 2012- SB 891 Lyme testing bill; 2016- HB 399- another Lyme test bill. Virginia bills in 2010- HB 36 requiring mandatory reporting when it already exists and HB 512, HB 897, HB 1017, HB 1288 again, requiring mandatory reporting when it exists; 2013- HB 1933- Lyme testing bill.

There are many pressing issues to pursue regarding Lyme disease. At this time we prefer to educate doctors, not legislate them. Thank you.

Lucy Barnes, Director