Topic: Virginia Assembly session has begun; any follow up to last year's "postponement"?
Dawn in VA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9693
posted
I haven't heard/seen anything about this. Perhaps I'm just out of the loop, but I have a lingering thought that we were going to re-"lobby" again this year since the bill was postponed until the next session. I honestly can't remember.
It is not happening b/c of the "Task Force" that was recently set up?
Could someone please let me know?
-------------------- (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
I haven't seen or heard a thing either Dawn.
From what I understood after the last session... the DC group was suppose to be meeting with the VA Dept of Health over the summer and convincing them to jump on board for the doc protection bill.
You might contact them or Delegate Tom Rust to get some direct answers? Last info I saw from his office was simply that the bill "did not pass".
I just checked to see what the DC group said about it from the press releases they sent out. They said..
"A brief meeting with representatives of the VDH, who were in attendance, confirmed that they will meet with us and take our cause, and our needs, seriously. If there is no progress by the next session, the bill is still alive and can be acted upon at that time."
There should be minutes of the meetings you could ask about.
They also said...
"While this bill is alive, the Board of Medicine is not likely to bring charges against any Virginia physician solely for the use of long-term antibiotics, which was the precise purpose of HB 512. If they do, they will be demonstrating the need for the legislature to take control and pass the bill."
Since Dr. G in VA was targeted and he was shut down between last session and this session... a first for Virginia...
I will assume the DC group is following through with this tragedy (for Dr. G and all his patients) and has been educating everyone in the legislature and working full force to straighten this out.
I don't think the Task Force stuff should interfere with or have anything to do with the attempt to get their doctor protection bill passed, as that is two totally different topics.
A Task Force would typically take a couple of years to complete and to submit their findings... then the legislature must budget for recommendations and put any plans they agree on into action IF they (agencies) intended to follow through with the Task Force recommendations.
Remember the Maryland Task Force took almost 2 years from start to finish and to this day- years later- nothing in it was done by the agencies. It is a piece of paper to pile on top of the other pieces of paper that the other side ignores.
Here is some information that may help. Go to the Political Actions section on the menu to your left and look under the bill number - Virginia HB 512.
Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Looking thought the page I sent you to above, I noted the DC group said...
"The bill was referred to the Virginia Department of Health, the parent organization of the Board of Medicine, for study and evaluation. Implicit in this referral is the need to report back to the committee."
Then there should be a report (and minutes) you can get from the DC group if this is the case.
I would also like to know what CME course the docs in the state were all offered. It was supposedly "mandated" to be done last year, so it should be easy for them to find out and let us know.
DC said..
"We have the ear of the Virginia Department of Health. We will meet with them and we will educate them. They have a mandate from the committee to offer all Virginia doctors a CME course on Lyme disease this year. Following the hearing it was agreed with the VDH representative that the CME course would not be one-sided."
I only know of one CME course available (there may be others?).. and that is the bad one by the IDSA. So we do need to know what was done here.
If a new one was developed we should be able to see it too.
There is a free slide show (old CDC stuff).. non-CME... that is worse than having Bumsteere in person giving it.
You know with info like... 36 hours the tick must be attached... oh and not only attached but FEEDING too... before it can pass Lyme to you, etc.
And the (about 10 minutes) slide show is on reporting and prevention .. the old "tuck the pants legs into your socks" lecture... and they do adhere strictly to CDC junk... so that can't be it.
Dawn in VA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9693
posted
Thanks for digging around, Most Honorable Detective TC. :-)
<<Yes, DC needs to be asked what is going on and for the minutes of their meetings, and what they did to follow up on what they said they would do.>>
Agreed.
I sent a recent note to M.S. of said group but didn't get a reply. I know folks are crazy busy, but seeing as how the Assembly bldg is a hop, skip, and can't-find-a-parking-space away, I'd really like to know what's up or what's not
Will definitely post if I find out any add'l info.
-------------------- (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
Funny one you are! HA! And thanks! Please do let us all know!!
I also noted there is suppose to be a Virginia Task Force hearing (the last of only 2 that will be scheduled) this Friday in Richmond (?) from 1-4 PM.
But the press release (see my other post about Virginia I just made) from DC doesn't say where (location to meet) other than "Richmond".
If you know/learn anything more about that event, please let us all know. I can't find anything on any websites or more recent press releases... and it is only 4 days away.
I would also be interested in knowing what speakers have been lined up for this hearing (an agenda would be helpful) and also where to locate the minutes/reports from the last Task Force meeting.
Another thought... will patients and doctors be able to sign up there to speak?
Dawn in VA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9693
posted
TC and all, this was sent my way from another source. The following is from a member of the VA Task Force.
(TC, could you also call M.S. about this in case she doesn't know all of the details? I do not have her phone number.) __________________________________________
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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