IDSA guidelines panel list as of 2/1/09

Have you ever wondered how many patients with Lyme disease have a rash? You would think the answer would be straight-forward. It’s not. Estimates range from 27-80%.

On September 29th, Congressman Christopher Smith (NJ) introduced into the Congressional Record a report exposing the gaps in research in Lyme disease. The report was originally commissioned by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) from the California Lyme Disease Association, the national Lyme Disease Association, and Time for Lyme. However, the three groups pulled out of the IOM process because of a lack of transparency and the high degree of bias in the process, which undermined its integrity and could harm patients. The Congressional Record represents an opportunity to communicate key research gaps in Lyme disease in a credible venue. The report is available on line. The press release about the Research Gaps Report and the link to the Congressional Record of the report, follow. . .