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Jul. 26th, 2008 11:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
awakening_dreamsA lot of people have asked me to produce something explaining the lyme situation and government in plain terms. I recently had to write an essay on it for english, so I'm replicating it here.
If this doesn't clear things up, let me know.
:D
“Lyme Disease Controversy: Direct Bullseye or a Complete Dud?”
Lyme disease, also known as borreliosis, is an infectious disease that has fallen under the radar of many, but affects more Americans than one may think. In a recent study, it has been discovered that while the reported amount of cases are 20 thousand Americans per year, the actual estimated amount could be three to ten times higher. (Berke) While it is commonly considered to have been spread by a tick, it can also be spread by many other ways, including mosquitoes and breast milk and perhaps even sexual relations.
Imagine that one day you have fallen suddenly ill. For some, the symptoms seem to be innocent at first – they’re easily brushed off as a standard case of the flu, with aching and chills. This may be accompanied by a rash, which makes the cause far more easily detectible – but what if it wasn’t? For some, they become crippled right away; for others, they slowly become more ill, and the cause may not be discovered for months or years. Without the presence of a rash, lyme disease can even evade clinical tests. Many of our current tests turn up false negatives when ran for lyme disease on those who actually do possess the bacteria. (ILADS) At this point, the bacteria could have or has infected all systems of the body. The borrelia bacteria are parasites, feeding off of the host, and going so far as to control your own hunger urges to enable their progression and feeding.
Whether it takes a few days to discover the cause or several years, the question then becomes what to do about treatment. In this case, there are two opposing sides, which can be most easily classified by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the International Lyme and Associates Diseases Society. To the former, whether you are treating acute or chronic lyme disease, the same course of treatment is sufficient. (Preidt) To the latter, there are multiple possible courses, taking into consideration all of the factors. (ILADS)
The question then becomes whether or not chronic lyme truly exists. While the IDSA does not believe it truly exists, there is sufficient evidence to present this case, and their actions have prevented the proper treatment of those who are infected. (Blumenthal)
Take in mind the case of Mandy Hughes. (Berke) After being treated with a two week course of antibiotics, she was considered to be cured of this disease, despite the fact that she still suffered symptoms for years after the original treatment course. She experienced the usual reaction to a patient suffering from chronic lyme disease –false diagnoses, perplexity from doctors, and even being accused of making it all up. In the meantime, her symptoms became worse and worse, just as we described above. Finally, “Hughes went to see what some patients refer to as a "Lyme-literate" doctor -- one willing to diagnose chronic Lyme disease and prescribe a long-term regimen of intravenous as well as oral antibiotics.” (Berke) With this doctor, she found great improvement. However, before she could finish treatment, her doctor was sued by the insurance company, and forced to cease seeing patients.
This is not a unique story. The director of the Lyme and Tick-Bourne Research Center is quoted as saying, "The disability associated with Lyme disease is worse than the disability that you might see with someone after a heart attack.” (Berke) It is here that we run into the heart of the matter. Both the treatment associated with lyme disease and the disease itself are highly disabling, which the IDSA states is the reasoning for their actions Wormser, New York Medical College’s chief of infectious diseases, contributed to the IDSA’s guidelines. He defends them as saying, "What we did recommend was not treating with unsafe or prolonged courses of antibiotic therapy.” (Berke)
However, concerns about antibiotics are not enough to excuse the IDSA’s actions. On May 1, 2008, the Connecticut Attorney General’s office discovered major flaws in the IDSA’s process of writing the guidelines. “The IDSA guidelines have sweeping and significant impacts on Lyme disease medical care.” (Blumenthal) The guidelines provide the insurance companies with free justification to deny long-term medical coverage for lyme patients. Their guidelines have led to lyme-treating doctors having to hide themselves, known as ‘Lyme Literate Doctors’, their names being handed out secretly as if through an underground organization.
As Blumenthal’s office recently discovered, there are many conflicts of interests on the IDSA board, many of them financial. They have gone so far as removing panelists and blocking scientists who diverged from their opinions, to keep the evidence of chronic lyme to themselves.
In the end, good news has come out of this entire situation, to a certain point. The board will be evaluated, and forced to reassess and rewrite all of their guidelines. However, there is no guarantee that any future guidelines will be any better, or that the damage won’t take years to undo.
Years that many patients have already lost.
WORKS CITED
Berke, Ronni. " 10-year battle with pain highlights Lyme disease debate." CNN 07 007 2008 15 Jul 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/health/conditions/07/06/lymedisease.treatment/index.html?iref=newssearch>.
Blumenthal, Richard. "Connecticut Attorney General's Office Press Release." 01 005 2008 15 Jul 2008 <http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?a=2795&q=414284>.
Phillips, Steven, Bransfield, Robert, Sherr, Virginia, Brand, Stephen, Smith, Harold, Dickson, Kathleen, Stricker, Raphael. "EVALUATION OF ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT IN PATIENTS: AN ILADS POSITION PAPER." ILADS.
Preidt, Robert. "Lyme Disease Relapse Often a New Infection." HealthDay News 04 10 2007 15 Jul 2008 <http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=84329>.
If this doesn't clear things up, let me know.
:D
“Lyme Disease Controversy: Direct Bullseye or a Complete Dud?”
Lyme disease, also known as borreliosis, is an infectious disease that has fallen under the radar of many, but affects more Americans than one may think. In a recent study, it has been discovered that while the reported amount of cases are 20 thousand Americans per year, the actual estimated amount could be three to ten times higher. (Berke) While it is commonly considered to have been spread by a tick, it can also be spread by many other ways, including mosquitoes and breast milk and perhaps even sexual relations.
Imagine that one day you have fallen suddenly ill. For some, the symptoms seem to be innocent at first – they’re easily brushed off as a standard case of the flu, with aching and chills. This may be accompanied by a rash, which makes the cause far more easily detectible – but what if it wasn’t? For some, they become crippled right away; for others, they slowly become more ill, and the cause may not be discovered for months or years. Without the presence of a rash, lyme disease can even evade clinical tests. Many of our current tests turn up false negatives when ran for lyme disease on those who actually do possess the bacteria. (ILADS) At this point, the bacteria could have or has infected all systems of the body. The borrelia bacteria are parasites, feeding off of the host, and going so far as to control your own hunger urges to enable their progression and feeding.
Whether it takes a few days to discover the cause or several years, the question then becomes what to do about treatment. In this case, there are two opposing sides, which can be most easily classified by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the International Lyme and Associates Diseases Society. To the former, whether you are treating acute or chronic lyme disease, the same course of treatment is sufficient. (Preidt) To the latter, there are multiple possible courses, taking into consideration all of the factors. (ILADS)
The question then becomes whether or not chronic lyme truly exists. While the IDSA does not believe it truly exists, there is sufficient evidence to present this case, and their actions have prevented the proper treatment of those who are infected. (Blumenthal)
Take in mind the case of Mandy Hughes. (Berke) After being treated with a two week course of antibiotics, she was considered to be cured of this disease, despite the fact that she still suffered symptoms for years after the original treatment course. She experienced the usual reaction to a patient suffering from chronic lyme disease –false diagnoses, perplexity from doctors, and even being accused of making it all up. In the meantime, her symptoms became worse and worse, just as we described above. Finally, “Hughes went to see what some patients refer to as a "Lyme-literate" doctor -- one willing to diagnose chronic Lyme disease and prescribe a long-term regimen of intravenous as well as oral antibiotics.” (Berke) With this doctor, she found great improvement. However, before she could finish treatment, her doctor was sued by the insurance company, and forced to cease seeing patients.
This is not a unique story. The director of the Lyme and Tick-Bourne Research Center is quoted as saying, "The disability associated with Lyme disease is worse than the disability that you might see with someone after a heart attack.” (Berke) It is here that we run into the heart of the matter. Both the treatment associated with lyme disease and the disease itself are highly disabling, which the IDSA states is the reasoning for their actions Wormser, New York Medical College’s chief of infectious diseases, contributed to the IDSA’s guidelines. He defends them as saying, "What we did recommend was not treating with unsafe or prolonged courses of antibiotic therapy.” (Berke)
However, concerns about antibiotics are not enough to excuse the IDSA’s actions. On May 1, 2008, the Connecticut Attorney General’s office discovered major flaws in the IDSA’s process of writing the guidelines. “The IDSA guidelines have sweeping and significant impacts on Lyme disease medical care.” (Blumenthal) The guidelines provide the insurance companies with free justification to deny long-term medical coverage for lyme patients. Their guidelines have led to lyme-treating doctors having to hide themselves, known as ‘Lyme Literate Doctors’, their names being handed out secretly as if through an underground organization.
As Blumenthal’s office recently discovered, there are many conflicts of interests on the IDSA board, many of them financial. They have gone so far as removing panelists and blocking scientists who diverged from their opinions, to keep the evidence of chronic lyme to themselves.
In the end, good news has come out of this entire situation, to a certain point. The board will be evaluated, and forced to reassess and rewrite all of their guidelines. However, there is no guarantee that any future guidelines will be any better, or that the damage won’t take years to undo.
Years that many patients have already lost.
WORKS CITED
Berke, Ronni. " 10-year battle with pain highlights Lyme disease debate." CNN 07 007 2008 15 Jul 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/health/conditions/07/06/lymedisease.treatment/index.html?iref=newssearch>.
Blumenthal, Richard. "Connecticut Attorney General's Office Press Release." 01 005 2008 15 Jul 2008 <http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?a=2795&q=414284>.
Phillips, Steven, Bransfield, Robert, Sherr, Virginia, Brand, Stephen, Smith, Harold, Dickson, Kathleen, Stricker, Raphael. "EVALUATION OF ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT IN PATIENTS: AN ILADS POSITION PAPER." ILADS.
Preidt, Robert. "Lyme Disease Relapse Often a New Infection." HealthDay News 04 10 2007 15 Jul 2008 <http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=84329>.