August 13, 2009- Centreville, MD - As Maryland climbs to 5th highest in the nation for the number of Lyme disease cases, residents can be assured their elected Representatives in Washington, DC are taking steps to address the exploding Lyme and tick borne disease epidemic.
``We are fortunate and thankful that we have all of our Congressmen supporting and cosponsoring the Lyme disease bills again this year,'' commented Lucy Barnes, Director of the Lyme Disease Education and Support Groups of Maryland.
``Our Congressmen are listening to people in their districts and across the country who are being negatively affected by Lyme and tick borne diseases.''
Senators' Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski signed on to cosponsor S-1352, the Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2009, which was introduced by Senator Christopher Dodd (CT) on June 25, 2009.
Senator Cardin signed on as an original cosponsor this year, making his commitment to the people of Maryland even stronger by taking it one step further.
Congressmen Chris Van Hollen was the first House Member in Maryland to sign on as a cosponsor to HR- 1179, introduced by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ).
Congressmen Elijah Cummings, John Sarbanes, Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, and Roscoe Bartlett also signed on again, along with our newest members, Congressmen Frank Kratovil and Donna Edwards, creating unanimous support for the bill.
The Lyme disease bill did not come to the floor for a vote last session.
In spite of a strong grass roots effort, it was kept ``locked up'' by Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ), the head of the Health Subcommittee, according to Congressman Frank Wolf (VA).
During a heated debate on the House floor last September, Wolf demanded answers from Pallone as to why he had been blocking the bill ``for a long period of time.''
Pallone, whose state is third highest in the nation with Lyme disease cases, and who receives a large portion of his campaign contributions from the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, skirted over the issues.
Instead of providing solid, sensible answers, he referred to those questioning him, and to the officials investigating the widespread corruption associated with the IDSA's Lyme Disease Guidelines, as ``grandstanding''.
Pallone, repeating the IDSA's fabricated mantra, ``there is no such thing as chronic Lyme disease'', stated certain treatment protocols were ``suggested, if not mandated'' in the bill and he refused to bring the bill up, after promising he would do so.
Obviously, having not even read the bill during the two-year session, it was discouraging for residents to hear Pallone state that he got advise about Lyme disease from a few of his NJ ``neighbors''.
Congressman Smith, however, set the record straight stating the bill includes nothing about treatment and does not prescribe a protocol as Pallone suggested; it provides for an Advisory Committee that would take a close look, an ``honest'' look, at the scientific evidence, determine ``what is fact and what is fiction'', and address what Smith referred to as a ``cover-up by the Infectious Diseases Society of America''.
He also strongly stated, ``conflict of interest with the insurance companies has no place in modern medicine.''
Patients nationwide are shocked that Pallone has delayed the bill's progress by appointing himself sole judge and juror by not allowing open hearings to get to the truth of the matter.
When asked to explain his lack of action on Lyme disease issues over the years, Pallone stated he does ``not appreciate'' Wolf's comments, and he ``deeply resents the fact that [Smith] is on the floor talking about it.''
Congressman Smith raised serious concerns, including the damage Lyme disease can cause.
``Not until it gets to a severe state [will] people realize they have it. It is growing exponentially; CDC admits we are missing most of the cases, as many as 90% go unreported''.
He is also concerned people will be exposed to the ``egregiously flawed'' Infectious Diseases Society of America Lyme Disease Treatment Guidelines, and he is not alone.
Smith produced CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's ``scathing, insightful report'' based on the investigation into the IDSA Lyme Guidelines development process, which concluded the IDSA Guidelines were ``atrocious... [with] conflicts of interest everywhere.''
``Congressman Pallone should not depend on a small medical society [IDSA] in Virginia that believes Lyme is cured after 3 weeks of antibiotics, especially a society found guilty of multiple wrong-doings and of having serious conflicts of interest with insurance companies'', stated Barnes.
``By continuing to support the suppression of scientific facts and expert medical opinions, Pallone is aiding in the IDSA's cover up that leaves countless people sick and suffering.
This has to stop. We are depending on our Congressmen to get this bill passed so we can all move forward and lives can be saved.''
Lyme Disease Education and Support Groups of Maryland
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