This is an opinion piece in the latest issue of JAMA. This is only the first 150 words, you have to be a member or pay $15 to see the rest. You can certainly see where they're going with this.
Perhaps one of you is a subscriber and can pull up the whole article. I hope Pam Weintraub reads it and issues a response. -Paul
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Science, Politics, and Values The Politicization of Professional Practice Guidelines
John D. Kraemer, JD, MPH; Lawrence O. Gostin, JD
JAMA. 2009;301(6):665-667.
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) issued updated clinical practice guidelines in 2006 for the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.1 Within days, the Connecticut attorney general launched an investigation, alleging IDSA had violated state antitrust law by recommending against the use of long-term antibiotics to treat "chronic Lyme disease (CLD)," a label applied by advocates to a variety of nonspecific symptoms for which frequently no evidence suggests the etiologic agent of Lyme disease is responsible. The IDSA was forced to settle the claim to avoid exorbitant litigation costs, even though the society's guidelines were based on sound science. The case exemplifies the politicization of health policy, with elected officials advocating for health policies against the weight of scientific evidence.
The Antitrust Investigation of IDSA
Although untreated or inadequately treated Lyme disease can progress to cause neurological complications and arthritis, there is no evidence the . . . [Full Text of this Article]
Author Affiliations: O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
okee dokee...now there are lawyers writing op ed pieces for a medical journal....kind of like the Forbes magazine fiasco/faux pas a few years ago. My my, who next will they publish, Joe the Plumber?
North.
[ 02-11-2009, 03:05 PM: Message edited by: northstar ]
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
It'll never end. Never.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
paulie,
to grab attention of any JAMA subscribers, please show something in subject line about that ok
example only, are you JAMA SUBSCRIBER? need your help to post entire article; will make you angry!!
just click on pencil, 3rd box to right of your name.
we all need to read this!! //////////////////////////
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
Paulie,
Thanks for posting this.
More of the same old rhetoric apparently.
Bea Seibert
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
i'd love to be able to read entire piece without paying $$.
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