Topic: New President of ILADS - Dr. Daniel Cameron
Areneli
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6740
posted
International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society Names New President Board of Directors Elects Dr. Daniel Cameron, Epidemiology Pioneer
Dr. Daniel Cameron succeeds Dr. Ray Stricker as President of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). ILADS point of view on the nature and treatment of Lyme disease is in direct conflict with the point of view of the Infection Disease Society of America (IDSA) and the current treatment guidelines promoted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Lyme disease has become a major epidemic in this country
Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) October 30, 2007 -- The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) announced today that it has elected Dr. Daniel Cameron to serve as the new President of the Board for the next two years.
The appointment was announced during the annual ILADS conference that drew more than 300 attendees that included medical practitioners and researchers who specialize in Lyme Disease and representatives from patient advocacy groups.
Dr. Cameron is the chief author of the ILADS evidence-based medicine practice guidelines. The ILADS treatment guidelines are based on evidence that Lyme is a complex disease, with symptoms that can vary significantly in patients.
The ILADS guidelines are in direct conflict with the current accepted guidelines which support a view of Lyme as a simple disease that requires short doses of antibiotics as treatment.
"Lyme disease has become a major epidemic in this country," said Dr. Cameron. "It is a complex and debilitating disease for many people. As president of the board, I hope to help bring researchers and practicing physicians together to identify better ways to diagnose and treat Lyme."
Cameron is an attending physician at the Northern Westchester Hospital and has served as an ILADS board member for the last six years. Cameron has made many contributions to clinical research on Lyme disease.
He has pioneered the field of clinical epidemiology in Lyme disease as an author of practice guidelines, analytic reviews, and clinical trials. He continues to devote much of his research time to improving the outcomes of Lyme disease patients.
Cameron succeeds Dr. Raphael Stricker, who has served as ILADS president for the last two years. During his tenure, Stricker has successfully led ILADS to a prominent position in the fight against tick-borne diseases, passionately promoting the ILADS standard of care for Lyme.
Stricker authored the article that appeared in the July 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, one of the most prestigious journals in the field of infectious disease and microbiology.
The article represented the first time that evidence supporting the ILADS point of view has been published by a leading American infectious disease journal.
Controversy Over Treatment Guidelines According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported cases of Lyme disease have more than doubled in the last 15 years.
Latest statistics indicate more than 20,000 cases are reported to the government each year. However, many experts believe the actual number of cases is closer to 200,000.
For those patients who demonstrate classic symptoms of the disease soon after recognizing a tick bite, such as a "bull's eye" rash and joint pain, a short dose of antibiotics often eradicates the disease from the body.
But only 50% of Lyme patients actually recall a tick bite. And the classic symptoms are typically experienced by only a fraction of patients diagnosed with the disease.
ILADS treatment guidelines are based on the belief that Lyme disease is a complex illness that is often difficult to diagnose and requires specialized treatment based on patient symptoms and physician judgment. Guideline highlights include:
--Given lack of a definitive diagnostic test for Lyme disease, laboratory results should not be used to exclude a patient from treatment.
-- Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis and tests should be used to support rather than supersede the physician's judgment.
-- Early use of antibiotics can prevent persistent, recurrent, and refractory Lyme disease.
-- Duration of antibiotic therapy should be guided by the patient's response to treatment, rather than by an arbitrary (ie, 30 day) treatment course.
-- The practice of stopping antibiotics to allow for delayed recovery is not recommended for persistent Lyme disease.
In these cases, it is reasonable to continue treatment for several months after clinical and laboratory abnormalities have begun to resolve and symptoms have disappeared.
About ILADS: ILADS is a nonprofit, international, multidisciplinary medical society, dedicated to the diagnosis and appropriate treatment of Lyme and its associated diseases.
ILADS promotes understanding of tick-borne diseases through research and education and strongly supports physicians and other health care professionals dedicated to advancing the standard of care for Lyme and its associated diseases.
For more information contact: Pam Kahl 503.284.1534
[ 31. October 2007, 09:16 AM: Message edited by: Areneli ]
Posts: 1538 | From Planet Earth | Registered: Jan 2005
| IP: Logged |
daise
Unregistered
posted
Thank you for informing us. I think Dr. Stricker served us well and that Dr. Cameron will, as well.
posted
Thank You. I have no doubt that Dr. Cameron will serve ILADS well.
-------------------- The best index to a person's character is how he treats people who can't do him any good, and how he treats people who can't fight back. -Abigail van Buren (Pauline Esther Friedman) (1918-2002) Posts: 409 | From Florida | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
Thank you for the information. I've got lyme brain, but thought I had read that Dr. H in NY was expected to take this position at one point. Did I dream this up?
In any case, it sounds like Dr. Cameron is a great choice and will do well. Thanks for sharing.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged |
WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
I thought Dr. H was going to be the new president of ILADS?
IP: Logged |
Pocono Lyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5939
posted
I was under the impression that it was going to be Dr. H. also but believe Dr. C. will be great.
-------------------- 2 Corinthians 12:9-11
9 But he said to me, �My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.� Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ�s power may rest on me. Posts: 1445 | From Poconos, PA | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
JRWagner
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3229
posted
Dr. Cameron is a very intelligent, compassionate Gentleman. He will serve with dignity.
posted
I also thought Dr.H was going to be the next ILADS President - does anyone know what happened??? Good luck to Dr.C.
Elaine
Posts: 261 | From Herx-ville!! | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged |
kam
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 3410
posted
Thank you Dr. S and welcome Dr. C.
Posts: 15927 | From Became too sick to work or do household chores in 2001. | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged |
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!
Printer-friendly view of this topic