Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Does anyone know where the Lyme Disease Task Force hearing (mentioned below) is being held this Friday in Richmond?
Also, does anyone know who has signed up to speak there or know the program agenda? Any minutes or reports from the last hearing would be helpful to have to share with the community too.
If so, please advise ASAP so folks can make plans.
Thanks!
"The next hearing will be held in Richmond on January 21 from 1-4PM. All hearings are free and open to the public."
Purcellville, VA- Wednesday, December 1, 2010.
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's newly appointed Lyme Disease Task Force held an expert testimony hearing Tuesday, November 30 at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville.
The first of two hearings, attended by nearly 200 patients, was designed to gather important information about the accuracy of diagnostic tools and efficacy of treatments. In addition, the Task Force seeks ways to increase awareness of this devastating disease to aid Virginia residents and medical practitioners.
A 12-member panel comprised of healthcare experts heard testimony from ten witnesses* ranging from fathers whose children were misdiagnosed as mentally ill to doctors discussing the financial impact of Lyme in Virginia.
Michael Farris, chairman of the Task Force, said ``For the first time we're creating a useful record of current and quantifiable information together with the divergent views of patients, doctors and researchers in a forum where they can hear and consider each others' perspectives.'' *See panel and witness composition at end of release
Monte Skall, Executive Director of the National Capital Lyme Disease Association, and a member of the panel said, ``Chronic Lyme patients often feel abandoned by medicine.
We're realizing our dream of bringing together experts that treat infectious disease, researchers and the real victims of chronic Lyme and its co-infections in the hope of finally making real progress for the treatment of this disease.''
Dr. Daniel Cameron, former president of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, estimated a chronically ill Lyme patient's annual medical costs for treatment of Lyme and co-infections to be $16,200, bringing the total cost to Virginians to about $67 million annually.
Dr. Marty Schriefer, Chief of Diagnostic and Research section at the Centers for Disease Control, traveled from Colorado to share his knowledge with the panelists. ``In 2009 there were 232 cases of Lyme disease in Fairfax County and another 201 in Loudoun County,'' he said.
Mr. Farris expressed concern the CDC surveillance data actually under-report incidence and prevalence based upon narrow case definitions and the lack of effective reporting requirements.
Five fathers and one mother testified to the emotional and financial toll on families. Peter Demitry, a physician, former Navy test pilot and father of ill children received a standing ovation from the audience when he spoke emotionally of the contrast between the early health-filled years of his family and the nine years following his teenage son's tick bite.
He said ``Lyme moms'' and his own patients ``taught me more in two years than I'd learned practicing orthodox medicine in twenty.'' Eric Tibbetts, Retired Captain- US Navy, spoke of errors made in his son's care and urged more effective adoption of procedures for earlier Lyme and co-infection diagnoses.
The final speaker was Dr. Paul G. Auwaerter representing the Infectious Diseases Society of America. A Johns Hopkins University clinical researcher, he detailed the complexities of diagnosing and treating Lyme. ``We have more bacterial cells in our body than human cells,'' he said.
In addition to the two expert testimony hearings, a series of five geographically-organized ``listening forums'' will be conducted to gather the testimonies of patients and caregivers.
These forums will be held over the course of 2011 in Northern Virginia, Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke and Harrisonburg. The output of the expert hearings and patient forums will be developed into recommendations for Governor McDonnell's consideration.
The next hearing will be held in Richmond on January 21 from 1-4PM. All hearings are free and open to the public.
Mr. Matt Cobb- Virginia Dept of Health and Human Resources
Dr. Kerrie Hall- Epidemiologist, Virginia Department of Health
Ms. Diane Reynolds-Cane- Virginia Department of Health
Mr. Bob Duncan- Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Mr. Doug Domenech - Secretary of Natural Resources, Virginia
Sam Shor, MD - Private practice physician, Reston, Virginia
A pplegate, PhD- School psychologist, Loudoun County
Rand Wachsstock- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Mrs. Monte Skall- Executive Director, National Capital Lyme & Tick Borne Disease Association
Mrs. Kathy Myer- Co-organizer of parents with children with Lyme disease
Dr. Lisa Strucko-Pharmacist, Leesburg
Mr. Arnie Owens - Department of [TITLE]
Witnesses: Steve Thomas (Lay witness) Danna Pristach (Lay witness) Jim Mason (Lay witness) Dr. Marty Schriefer, Center for Disease Control (Expert witness) Dr. Daniel Cameron, Past President of International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (Expert witness) Dr. Betty Maloney, Lyme Disease Education Advocate (Expert witness) Dr. Peter Demitry (Lay witness) Eric Tibbets (Lay witness) Dr. Paul G. Auwaerter
Dawn in VA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9693
posted
GOLDcup , I posted this this on the other thread, but here it as as well per your specific post subject: ____ This was sent my way from another source. The following is from a member of the VA Task Force. __________________________________________
Subject: Governor's VA Lyme Disease Task Force Hearing 1/21
Greetings to each of you. I was appointed this fall to Governor McDonnell's VA Lyme Disease Task Force, and so I want to invite you and/or representatives from the college to attend a hearing this Friday, Jan. 21 in Richmond from1-4 PM.
The topic for this hearing is Lyme disease prevention. The incidence of Lyme and tick-borne disease is growing in the Tidewater area according to the VA Dept. of Health (VDH).
The hearing will include expert testimony by the developer of the four-poster method of tick control Dr. Mat Pound as well as Nelson La Fon, a VA expert on deer control, and Dr. David Gaines, our VDH chief entomologist.
In addition, Dr. Charles Apperson, the distinguished Public Health Entomologist from NC State will give us his best information on a broad spectrum of interventions based on his expertise and research. A cutting edge researcher
Dr. Kerry Clark from Univ. of N FL will also add his perspectives on Lyme in the southeastern US plus discuss his current research on diagnostics.
The media release for the hearing is copied below. Please feel free to forward this information to any appropriate individuals. Thank you!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Dr. Michael Farris, Chairman 540-338-5600 [email protected]
GOVERNOR'S LYME DISEASE TASK FORCE CONDUCTS SECOND HEARING
Richmond, VA- Friday January 7, 2011. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's appointed Lyme Disease Task Force will conduct its second expert testimony hearing on Friday, January 21, 2011 in the Perimeter Center outside Richmond.
The hearing is designed to gather important information about methods of prevention of this rapidly spreading vector borne illness. A similar hearing held in November focused on improving diagnostic tests and increasing awareness among patients and medical practitioners.
Expert witnesses for this month's session will include representatives from academia, public health and government agencies (see below for speaker affiliations).
More than nine hundred new cases of Lyme in Virginia were reported in 2009, and the CDC indicates ten times as many residents, particularly children, may be afflicted with this insidious disease.
According to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), in addition to the Eastern Shore and Northern Virginia, areas of high incidence now include counties to the south and west. ``Whole families are ill and are being harmed,'' says Michael Farris, chairman of the Task Force.
Mr. Farris is a United States constitutional lawyer and the Chancellor of Patrick Henry College. Members of the task force include physicians, patient representatives, state health and wildlife officials, a veterinarian and other key professionals.
In addition to further expert testimony hearings, the task force will hold five geographically-organized forums to gather the testimonies of patients and caregivers.
These forums will be held over the course of 2011 in Northern Virginia, Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke and Harrisonburg. The output of the expert hearings and patient forums will be developed into recommendations for Governor McDonnell's consideration.
All hearings are free and open to the public. The January 21 hearing will be held from 1:00PM until 4:00PM at the Perimeter Center in the Commonwealth Conference Center on the second floor.
The Perimeter Center is easily accessible off 1-64 at 9960 Mayland Drive, Henrico, Virginia 23233. Ample free parking is available.
Expert witnesses:
Dr. David N. Gaines Public Health Entomologist VA Department of Health, Office of Epidemiology
Nelson Lafon Deer Project Leader VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
J. Mathews (Mat) Pound, PhD Research Entomologist USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Service
Dr. Charles Apperson Public Health Entomologist North Carolina State University
Kerry Clark, M.P.H., PhD. Professor of Epidemiology and Environmental Health University of North Florida
--END--
-------------------- (The ole disclaimer: I'm not a doctor.) Posts: 1349 | From VA | Registered: Jul 2006
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
You are the BOSS! Good job!!! I copied your information and shared it with a bunch of folks. They appreciate it too!
To clear up some stuff...
It is not in Richmond (technically) as reported originally... it is in Henrico. Hard to find that specific location on a map using Richmond in the address if you are checking directions.
I was also not able to determine the dates/times/addresses of the other upcoming meetings. Will keep looking.
Here is your information posted now on the Virginia site ... so a link can be sent rather than a LONG email. Good work!
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
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