2018 Special Issue of The Lyme Times- The Tick-Borne Disease Working Group
The Tick-Borne Disease Working Group (TBDWG) was authorized by the 21st Century 2016 Cures Act. …
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THE LYME TIMES: Celebrities turn spotlight on Lyme disease
The cover of the latest issue of THE LYME TIMES features entertainers Debbie Gibson and Daryl Hall, who are among the celebrities helping to draw media attention to Lyme disease.
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THE LYME TIMES: A Feeling for the Organism
“Had we listened to our pediatrician and the local Lyme disease expert, we might have stuffed him full of psychoactive medications unable to address the disease. It would have been tantamount to locking him up and throwing away the key,” Elizabeth Stone said. Luckily they found Dr. Jones and her 16-year old son made a near-miraculous recovery.
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THE LYME TIMES: 25 years of tick-borne disease advocacy
Twenty-five years ago, with a handful of volunteers, Phyllis Mervine launched what became LymeDisease.org. Our first issue of The Lyme Times was two legal-sized pieces of paper photocopied and stapled together. This anniversary issue looks at the early years of Lyme advocacy–the pioneers and the denialists–and the grassroots efforts that have brought us to this point.
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THE LYME TIMES: New Yorker article fails to ask important questions
In the July 1 issue of The New Yorker, reporter Michael Specter examined “The Lyme Wars.” Shortly after his article was published, NPR’s Terry Gross interviewed Specter on Fresh Air. Despite some accurate reporting, Specter repeated much IDSA standard misinformation as if it were fact, without noting that much of it has been disputed by many scientists. Pamela Cocks, managing editor of The Lyme Times, sent this response to the New Yorker, which chose not to print it. (The only letter the New Yorker published on the subject was from an IDSA-aligned organization.)
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POLITICAL ACTION: History of Federal Lyme Legislation, Part 8
You never pass legislation in a vacuum. The backdrop for the ongoing efforts to pass the Lyme bills included, in August 2005, Hurricane Katrina. In September, 150,000 people gathered in Washington DC to protest the Iraq war and the US death toll approached 2,000. Then in October, a grand jury indicted “Scooter” Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff, on felony charges. 2006 brought new challenges and distractions for Lyme advocates, too. With all these pressing issues to deal with, how could we expect legislators to fit Lyme disease legislation into their calendars?
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POLITICAL ACTION: History of Federal Lyme Legislation, Part 7
It was 2005, the first session of the 109th Congress. There were two competing bills in the House, and no Senate bill. No one knew what the senators would do. All we could do was wait… and hope. Finally, we had our answer, but the landscape was shifting. It might be impossible to pass legislation, even if everyone united behind a single bill.
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POLITICAL ACTION: History of Federal Lyme Legislation, Part 6
Some advocates had not been satisfied with the amended LIFT bill that had passed the Senate on consent in 2002. Since many people seemed unclear on the exact provisions of the different versions of the Lyme bills, LDA president Pat Smith wrote a letter clarifying differences between the original LIFT bill and the amended version that the senators had passed.
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POLITICAL ACTION: History of Federal Lyme Legislation, Part 5
Sometimes Congress is busy with other matters, like wars and disasters. Early in 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry, killing all 7 astronauts onboard and then in March the United States invaded Iraq. So perhaps it was a minor miracle that on July 31, 2003, Senator Santorum (PA) reintroduced a Lyme bill containing identical language to the 2002 amended LIFT, S. 1527.
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POLITICAL ACTION: State Legislation in the Lymelight
The Connecticut insurance law passed in 1999 is an example of how well-intended legislation can hurt. In response to numerous complaints received by his office from Lyme disease patients being denied insurance coverage for Lyme-related expenses, Connecticut Attorney General Blumenthal held a hearing on February 24, 1999, co-sponsored by Commissioner George A. Reider, Jr. of the Connecticut Insurance Department
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