Healthy People Initiative
Healthy People Initiative
One of the Surgeon General’s Healthy People 2010 objectives was to reduce the annual incidence of Lyme disease to 9.7 new cases per 100,000 population in 10 reference states where the disease is endemic (Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin).
A summary of surveillance data (2003-2005) for 64,382 Lyme disease cases reported to CDC during 2003--2005, of which 59,770 cases (93%) were reported from the 10 reference states, indicated the goal was not obtainable and the millions in funding provided to states for prevention efforts failed to accomplish even a slight reduction in reported cases. The average annual numbers in the 10 reference states for the 3-year period (29.2 cases per 100,000 population) was approximately three times the Healthy People 2010 target goal.
The target states all indicated a substantial increase in reported cases between 1993 and 2007, with the exception of Rhode Island which managed a 35% drop.
Connecticut + 127%
Delaware + 400%
Maryland + 1331%
Massachusetts + 1919%
Minnesota + 778%
New Jersey + 299%
New York + 48%
Pennsylvania + 268%
Rhode Island - 35%
Wisconsin + 352%
Several counties in the state of Maryland had zero cases reported within the Surgeon General’s Healthy People targeted time frame. It took Maryland Lyme advocates researching, composing and presenting the facts to prompt intervention by Maryland's Senators and House members who then encouraged the Maryland Department of Health to comply with the mandatory reporting regulations. Once the lack of numbers were noted by legislators, cases originally not counted were still not added into to the final totals.
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2012 Update- One of the past "objectives" of Healthy People- a plan originally initiated by the Surgeon General - was to reduce the number of cases of Lyme disease by 15% in ten years. That was one of the lowest set goals of the entire Healthy People plan.
Even with the CSTE/CDC changes in reporting criteria (making it harder to have or count Lyme cases), and the other shenanigans, excuses and interference by the IDSA and CDC that went on, reaching the Healthy People 2000/2010 goal failed miserably. It was such a failure that it appears the references to the Lyme disease goal of reducing cases by 15%, that were in the earlier write-ups, have been removed from most (if not all) past reports. Poof!
Here is the official "excuse" being used to hide the HHS/DHMH's embarrassing failure.
Quote:
• Diseases preventable through targeted vaccination.
One objective (14-8), Lyme disease, was archived because it was dependent on the availability of the vaccine for Lyme disease which was pulled off the market by the manufacturer."
The fact there is no current Lyme vaccine on the market, combined with the fact many (if not all) of the various state's infectious disease/immunology health department employees involved with the Healthy People program are "vaccine" oriented, it is doubtful they would add anything truly productive to their plan to help with our treatment issues (IF they wanted to, and they don't) as ILADS is requesting.
Additionally, given the current state of the Lyme disease reporting situation (missing 10 or more times the actual number of cases), and the fact health departments are actively working against having to count Lyme cases at all makes the likelihood of the CDC/Healthy People/HHS putting into place a new mechanism to measure outcomes of what ILADS submitted- basically the tallies of treatment results- is very slim.
The fact the final reports about ILADS proposed objectives meant to address "chronic Lyme disease" (no set definition) would be analyzed by the CDC/IDSA and others who have published repeatedly that there is no such thing as "chronic Lyme disease" could backfire big time.
How many times do we want to give the fox the key to the hen house? When will we stop trying to put our fate in the hands of those who have a LONG history of wanting to silence us for good?
The reader also needs to consider "how" the numbers ILADS proposed would be calculated so they can be officially reported in HHS's final reports, and who would prepare these calculations?
Would the CDC/IDSA have to perform more studies (more wasted funding) which would be based on results of crummy tests that are documented to miss 75% of the people with Lyme?
Do we want tax-payer's money to continue to go toward studies that have a standard pre-drawn conclusion or to be performed by those who have no other goal than covering up the truth and proving us wrong, as we've seen happen so many times in the past?
ILADS Lyme Disease Objectives:
1. Increase the proportion of persons with acute disease who are timely and accurately diagnosed.
2. Decrease the proportion of persons with chronic manifestations of Lyme disease.
3. Increase the proportion of persons with chronic manifestations of LD who are timely and accurately diagnosed.
4. Reduce the number of persons with a history of Lyme disease with subjective symptoms severe enough to result in a substantial reduction in previous levels of occupational, educational, social, or personal activities.
More information:
State Coordinators
http://healthypeople.gov/2020/consortium/stateCoordinators.aspx
State by State Plans
http://healthypeople.gov/2020/implementing/stateSpecificPlans.aspx
Example of Healthy People 2010's concerns and efforts addressing the Lyme disease epidemic- by NY State Health Department
http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/prevention_agenda/infectious_disease/index.htm
MARYLAND Focus for the Healthy People 2020 Plan- similar to other states with Lyme disease not being mentioned as even a concern or problem.
http://fha.dhmh.maryland.gov/ohpp/docs/chartbook02/section4.pdf
IMMUNIZATION AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
TUBERCULOSIS
Tuberculosis Incidence Rates for Maryland and the US, 1990-2000………………………………….. 56
IMMUNIZATIONS - CHILDHOOD
Number of Cases of Vaccine-Preventable Infectious Diseases in Children Under Age Five,
Maryland, 1994 and 2000…………………………………………………………………………………. 56
Percent of Children Vaccinated with 4 DPT, 3 Polio, 1 Measles Among Children Age
19-35 Months, Maryland and the US, 1995-2000……………………………………………………… 57
IMMUNIZATION – FLU AND PNEUMONIA
Percent of People Age 65 and Older Who Reported Not Receiving a Flu Vaccination Within
the Past 12 Months, Maryland and the US, 1993,1995,1997,1999………………………………….. 58
Percent of People Age 65 and Older Who Reported Never Receiving a Pneumococcal
Vaccination, Maryland and the US, 1993,1995, 1997,1999…………………………………………... 58
Program above developed by:
DIVISION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE SURVEILLANCE
Dale Rohn, Chief (410) 767-6701; e-mail: dale.rohn@maryland.gov