It's not bad enough the IDSA has ruined soooooo many lives while raking in $$$... and that they keep strutting their stuff all over the place, burying us in the process... and have no regard for our welfare.
After making it so people have needlessly suffered and died from a TREATABLE disease... and then being made to do the right thing by the AG's office in Connecticut ... they are IGNORING the rules they are suppose to follow!
IDSA Violated Voting Requirements of AG Settlement Agreement
During an antitrust investigation of the IDSA guidelines development process for the 2006 Lyme disease treatment guidelines, AG Blumenthal's office uncovered significant procedural deficiencies, including conflicts of interests of the panel members.
A settlement was reached and the IDSA is breaching it.
The IDSA is manipulating the voting process to favor NO change in the guidelines. The AG has sent the IDSA a letter requesting that they redo the vote in compliance with the agreement.
Action Needed - If You Live in CT
If you live in CT, please email and thank Richard Blumenthal for investigating the IDSA and for enforcing the settlement agreement.
Our health is at risk and we thank him for trying to protect it.
Your letter might read: "I want to thank you for investigating the IDSA and for enforcing the settlement agreement. Patients with Lyme rely on your broad-shoulders!"
Your subject line should read: "IDSA Lyme Disease Guidelines."
`````````````````````````````````````````````````` Action Needed - If You Live Outside CT
If you live outside of CT, call your own state Attorney General (AG). Let your state AG's office know that the IDSA is trying to go around the rules set in AG Blumenthal's settlement agreement.
For contact information on your Attorney General, click on your state on the left hand menu in the link below.
Ask your AG's office to show public support for AG Blumenthal's enforcement of the Settlement Agreement.
The IDSA is a powerful group that mainstream medicine looks to for recommendations. Let your AG know that this agreement developed by the CT AG is important to your health.
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 IDSA was found to have conflicts of interest with its 2006 Lyme disease guidelines.
Now we find that the IDSA is manipulating the voting process to favor no change in the guidelines in violation of the antitrust Settlement Agreement.
The AG has sent the IDSA a letter requesting that IDSA redo the vote in compliance with the agreement. Please show your public support for enforcement of the antitrust settlement agreement and contact CT AG Richard Blumenthal to help keep the IDSA honest and non-biased in their pursuit of Lyme disease guidelines.
***************************************************************** For more information and to download a pdf to send to your Attorney General's office, please visit www.lymepolicywonk.org. Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
When they chose a new panel, they chose clones of the old one.
They refuse to keep up with science. Maybe they are just too stupid to understand the research! What a bunch of idiots!
They could care less about the suffering of lyme patients; and only a group so errogant would have totally disregarded the settlement between them and the AG.
The group as a whole should have their medical license taken. I mean if you can't move forward with science, you have no business being called a doctor.
What a shameful bunch!
Posted by djf2005 (Member # 11449) on :
!@$% them
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
If you don't follow the rules, isn't that called cheating?
cheat
To deceive by trickery
To deprive by trickery; defraud
To act dishonestly; practice fraud
To violate rules deliberately, as in a game: was accused of cheating at cards.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````
If you don't follow the rules when lives are at stake, what does that make you?
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
The whole reason the IDSA agreed to the settlement in the first place is to avoid a lengthy and expensive court battle. If they refuse to comply then hopefully AG Blumenthal will go forward with the case. One can only hope that they will be required to answer for their unethical behavior.
I'd certainly reach into my pocket to contribute to such an effort. Maybe it will take legal action by lyme patients against the IDSA to get the help we need. Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
I think thats what its coming to....legal action. I will certainly do my part to contribute.
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
Agree, I'd donate to see those sons a' *****es go down.
This is criminal.
Posted by djf2005 (Member # 11449) on :
unreal
Posted by riverpatrol (Member # 12182) on :
This is a blatant violation of the settlement agreement made between AG Blumenthal and IDSA (I read the 18 page pdf). I think this would/should bring the entire IDSA organization under scrutiny and any other guidelines they have authored should be suspect. This is beyond outrageous, how they so willfully ignored the AG agreement and twisted the rules to their obvious benefit. How long can this arrogance be tolerated?
It will be interesting to see their response to AG Blumenthal's letter. No doubt they will profess innocence and somehow make it look as if they are being unjustly persecuted - again.
Posted by LightAtTheEnd (Member # 24065) on :
I hope they lose in court and set a precedent.
Posted by Amanda (Member # 14107) on :
what really interests me is that 4 of the 8 panel members voted to change the guideline that lyme must be confirmed with a diagnostic test.
SO that means half the panel at least felt that current diagnostic tests ae not good enough to rule out (or in) diagnoses of lyme.
I think this whole thing, from teh beginning, was not about the scinece, but about maintaining their authority and prolonging the process as much as possible to avoid a lawsuit.
I mean, this is just perfect legal defense for them, isn't it?
"well yes, You Honor, the guidelines should not be changed, but you can't sue us for ignoring scinece, since half our panel members did agree that some parts of the guidelines must change, but you also can;t sue us, because it takes a "supermajority" vote to actually make the change", O Whoops, did we violate a procedural agreement?, oh well, that isn't significant, its not the science"
And isn't it convenient for them that they have an even number of panelists?
Well, as they say, "Past is Prologue"
Posted by djf2005 (Member # 11449) on :
Like i said, !@$* them.
What goes around comes around.
Karma is a ***** and they will get theirs.
How we treat people on this planet affects more than we know.
I firmly believe this.
Derek
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
It just makes me Sick. Sick and Tired, and Tired and Sick.
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
Look at this. Now they are even citing with other countries in defense of their crimes.
Is that proper ethics?
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
It might be convenient that they have an even number of panel members. I know one dropped out just in time to make it an even number, claiming that he had family issues causing him to withdraw from the board. Very suspicious!
Posted by ticked-offinNc (Member # 15420) on :
Very evil. Derek, I hope i live long enough to dance in the streets when their karma comes full circle.
Posted by Nicole_Denise (Member # 20620) on :
I know I found it interesting, and actually encouraging that 4 of the panel members voted to change the rules about testing. I honestly expected them to do absolutely nothing. Well, they are still doing that, but they are only able to because they flipped the rules around on voting.
Posted by troutscout (Member # 3121) on :
By the time they all figure out how wrong they are...they will have all come down with neuro-borreliosis.......
Ha, ha
Trout Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
"I know one dropped out just in time to make it an even number, claiming that he had family issues causing him to withdraw from the board. Very suspicious!"
Just so you know...
The member of the Panel that had to leave was faced with a serious personal situation. My best to him and his family.
It does appear suspicious though... doesn't it? But it was confirmed.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
So do we know how they voted on the various issues, then, besides diagnostic testing?
Posted by lymewreck36 (Member # 4395) on :
Hi Pinelady. I think that probably it is Europe that is siding with the IDSA, rather than the other way around.
People here do not believe in Chronic Lyme at all. ID docs will chase you out of their office if you even suggest you have that.
But I think it goes back to the lead from the U.S.
That is just my take from living here anyway. I could tell you stories of what I see here!!!
Mary
P.S. IDSA can go straight to @#!% 1!!!!
Can't ask evil people to do the right thing. Gotta take'em straight to court.
[ 02-05-2010, 02:40 PM: Message edited by: lymewreck36 ]
Posted by TX Lyme Mom (Member # 3162) on :
This same topic can be found in the Activism Forum. There are better things that we can do about it than simply express our disgust by blowing off steam here at LymeNet.
Robin2538462945 said.. "So do we know how they voted on the various issues, then, besides diagnostic testing?"
No, I'm sorry, we don't. Only that example was used in the official correspondence. BUT..
If the IDSA had done the process properly... that one example would have been in our favor... so I will "assume" that the others would turn out differently too.
Hey TX LYME MOM...
HOWDY!!!
Yes, there are things to do and we are working on another project too. Hopefully, it will be ready to go soon. But you know how it goes when the IDSA is involved...
So much corruption, so little time!
Between the rally and this popping up... we all could sure use a BIG bowl of ice cream and a weeks rest!
Posted by lymewreck36 (Member # 4395) on :
I know it there are better things to do than just bash the IDSA, but gosh, it does feel good sometimes!
Mary
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
You are right wreck. I think my head would explode if I didn't say it like it is.
More news from LYMEPOLICYWONK
ILADS Calls on IDSA to Remove Barriers to Lyme Guideline Change
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[cussing]](graemlins/cussing.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[lol]](graemlins/lol.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)