Lucy Barnes
The new IDSA review panel released their vote today to uphold the same 2006 guidelines that recommend against clinical judgment by physicians, against antibiotic treatment for chronic Lyme, and against alternative treatments and supplements.
Action Needed - EVERYONE ACROSS THE COUNTRY Please contact Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal now, tell him he needs to ensure this process has been properly carried out. Tell him this affects your health and your family. CONTACT INFORMATION AND
SAMPLE BLURBS Please fax the Attorney General, or if no fax, email, or call the Attorney General. (860) 808-5387 Fax (860) 808-5040 Phone Send an email to CT Attorney General attorney.general@po.state.ct.us
Sample Letter Blurb Dear Attorney General Blumenthal, The IDSA panel upheld all the recommendations in their 2006 Guidelines. They provided lists of items that need to be considered in the "next" upgrade of their guidelines, thereby relieving themselves of responsibility of acknowledging that changes are needed to these current guidelines.
A crucial statement on testing, the essence of which appears throughout the guidelines and is most often used by doctors and insurers to prevent patients receiving diagnosis and treatment, generated a 4-4 vote, not meeting the supermajority required to pass it. To thwart the process, IDSA characterized the testing issue as a non recommendation, and dismissed the statement from consideration through the process.
The IDSA received a large volume of case reports & case series that attested to clinical improvement with long term treatment. However, it dismissed the reports based on clinical judgement submitted by experts in the field that would normally carry significant weight. Additionally, the IDSA discounted the controlled studies which indicated improvement after long term antibiotics.
The Lyme patient community cannot wait for the medical establishment to address the problems with this disease. We need treatment and relief now. The ratification of these guidelines by IDSA Panel members becomes another nail in the coffin for those afflicted with Lyme disease.
We call upon you to examine the entire process to determine compliance with your stated requirements and to take further action should grounds be found to do so. Your name, address, city and state Sample Phone Blurb I am calling today because an injustice is being done to Lyme patients throughout the country, and you are in a position to rectify this wrong.
The Lyme patient community cannot wait for the medical establishment to address the problems with this disease. We need treatment and relief now. Please continue your investigation of the IDSA.
FOR MORE INFORMATION For more details about the decision go to the Lyme Disease Association website, www.LymeDiseaseAssociation.org and the Lyme Policy Wonk.
LYMEPOLICYWONK: IDSA Reports No Change in Guidelines--The Fat Cat Ate the Canary http://www.lymedisease.org/news/lymepolicywonk/402.html
Our health is at risk and the IDSA is still playing games with it!
Lucy Barnes