Focus

At their annual meeting a few years ago, the Infectious Diseases Society of America adopted a policy of opposing patient-sponsored legislation. They have been true to their word. They have opposed legislation in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Connecticut and have lobbied for their point of view in Rhode Island and Maine. Continuing on the same path, last year they persuaded Health Subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone that the federal bill somehow mandated long-term treatment. Pallone refused to allow the bill out on the floor and it died in his subcommittee. IDSA is now working on legislators to derail this year's federal bills. Their message may be flawed, but they are sticking to it. It falls to patient community to counter the misinformation.

There’s good news for the Lyme community in a House Appropriations bill that just emerged from committee. Although the economic downturn has forced many programs covered by the bill to be reduced or even cut out entirely, the measure increases the Lyme disease budget of the Centers for Disease Control.