CSPP claims Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states

[Guest guest]

CSPP claims Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states

http://lymeblog.com/modules.php?name=News & file=article & sid=250

LymeBlog, KY, USA

Staff

November 22, 2005 12:32 PM

In a widely publicised press release The Center for Science and Public Policy

says that before airing an hour-long special, titled " The Heat Is On: The Case

of Global Warming, " the FOX News Channel misinformed its viewers but The CSPP

appears to be using the same methods of selective scientific evidence as well as

flawed logic as it accuses FOX news of using to arrive at the conclusion that

Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states.

Said Ferguson, Executive Director for CSPP, " Presenter Rick Folbaum and

a cast of mostly non-scientists, celebrities and lawyers employed a transparent

form of deception: telling only one side of a story or situation with intent to

mislead. Worse, the side they did present wasn't even scientifically credible

itself. "

CSPP researchers offered the following example as to just how unscientific FOX

was:

Claim (by Fox): Warming is responsible for the increased incidents of Lyme

disease.

(CSPP statement) " Science: Fabrication. Leading specialists have found the

opposite to be true: " Mean temperatures show weak and inconsistent correlations

with incidence. " Incidents are instead related to New England farmlands

returning to forests near homes, creating " edge habitat " and an explosion in

deer populations which carry the black-leg tick. Lyme disease is not a problem

in the warmer Southern states. "

The source of this map used by the CSPP is The American Lyme Disease

Foundation

http://www.aldf.com/usmap.asp

Which does not have any more up to date information available at its website.

But even on the same ALDF web page this map clearly shows Lyme disease in 2000

in Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas and Florida as well as in California.

Map used by CSPP to illustrate this fact:

On the same ALDF web page

Geographical Distribution of

Reported Lyme Disease Cases

2000

There is even more recent information of 2002 statistics available from the

official US government source at the Centers for Disease Control with show a

different trend than that which is claimed by the CSPP.

CDC statement: " In 2001, a total of 17,029 cases of LD were reported to CDC by

43 states and the District of Columbia, yielding a national incidence of 6.0

cases per 100,000 population. In 2002, the number of reported cases increased

40% to 23,763 cases, yielding a national incidence of 8.2 cases per 100,000

population "

" All states except Hawaii, Montana, and Oklahoma reported cases during 2002. "

" Twelve states reported an incidence of LD that was higher than the national

average in both 2001 and 2002: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, land,

Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,

Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. These 12 states account for 95% of cases reported

nationally "

This clearly is in direct opposition to the CSPP statement that, " Lyme disease

is not a problem in the warmer Southern states. "

How could such a mistake be made by the CSPP? Clearly they had omitted the

more recent and more authoritative scientific evidence in favor of evidence

supporting their claim.

In further statements pointing out the errors of FOX news Ferguson said, " One

could scientifically dispute nearly every claim made in the FOX program, but the

public never had the opportunity to hear it. "

Concluded Ferguson, " If a trial judge allowed only the prosecution's case, and

then told the jury to form their verdict on that testimony alone, would such be

'fair and balanced?' Apparently Mr. Folbaum and FOX believe so. "

The press release from The Center for Science and Public Policy has reached a

much wider audience that the original FOX News presentation having been

reprinted on numerous news sources from New York to India.

The CSPP also appears to be using the same methods of selective scientific

evidence as well as flawed logic, just as it accuses FOX news of using, to

arrive at the conclusion that Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states .

Sources:

FOX News Misled Viewers on Climate Science, Says CSPP South Asian Women's Forum,

India

CSPP Press Release: FOX News Misled Viewers on Climate Science, Says CSPP

http://www.ff.org/centers/csspp/misc/press1/co2/20051118.pdf

Lyme Disease - read the latest news and personal stories http://lymeblog.com

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/22/2005 4:30:21 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

mac_mcd@... writes:

CSPP claims Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states

Gosh Mac ..must be hard to read that when you have it and ARE in a southern

state !!! DAMN CSPP !!!!! I'm sorry , but I bet that really messed up your

day ! Hang tough ....Kat

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/22/2005 9:22:53 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

mac_mcd@... writes:

Lucky for me the neuro keeps me from being able to read anything that

complicated. I just read a couple of lines and cut and paste. What did it

say?

That is funny ...and then again ...NOT !!! heeeheee ....has anyone else

noticed that they are kind of ADD with lyme ? I have noticed with myself that I

cannot even read an entire newspaper article. My mind just floats off

somewhere else ...forget an entire book ! Lately more so than at other times

...its

more like neuro irritablitly ...if that makes sense ??? I can't have too much

going on at once or any distractions ..or I get so irritated ....anyone ??? Do

you feel that way ? EVER ? My attention span is like zilch , zero , nada ,

GONE !!! I am also a bit shaky ...my hands are shaky and of course my knees and

feet ...(now both not just the left ) are really hurting me. Could this be a

smaller herxheimer than my last ? I feel ok otherwise ..not fluish or

anything ..just in a great deal of pain and very irritable...its my 3rd week on

the

doxy ..almost 4th and have recently worked up to the full dosage. I don't

have any sweats , no fever ...just LOTS of pain which I can take care of with

my meds and a GREAT DEAL of antsy irritabiltiy ? Lida , if you read this

....how are you feeling dear ? Did you find someone to look at your lymph nodes

?

You are in my thoughts ....Kat

[Guest guest]

Mac ..beats me . I couldn't read the entire article either ! BUT

....basically it said that lyme disease is not as prevalent in the south as it

is here in

the east. WHICH I will never understand ...do you have deer ? If you have

deer ...you have ticks ..and you have lyme....why is that even a question

....what I think is that maybe not as many docs are REPORTING their cases of

lyme

....and/or ..not as many people are getting treatment for their disease ??? Kat

[Guest guest]

Good work Mac. Bud

hoo.com> wrote: CSPP claims Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states

http://lymeblog.com/modules.php?name=News & file=article & sid=250

LymeBlog, KY, USA

Staff

November 22, 2005 12:32 PM

In a widely publicised press release The Center for Science and Public Policy

says that before airing an hour-long special, titled " The Heat Is On: The Case

of Global Warming, " the FOX News Channel misinformed its viewers but The CSPP

appears to be using the same methods of selective scientific evidence as well as

flawed logic as it accuses FOX news of using to arrive at the conclusion that

Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states.

[Guest guest]

Good work Mac. Bud

hoo.com> wrote: CSPP claims Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states

http://lymeblog.com/modules.php?name=News & file=article & sid=250

LymeBlog, KY, USA

Staff

November 22, 2005 12:32 PM

In a widely publicised press release The Center for Science and Public Policy

says that before airing an hour-long special, titled " The Heat Is On: The Case

of Global Warming, " the FOX News Channel misinformed its viewers but The CSPP

appears to be using the same methods of selective scientific evidence as well as

flawed logic as it accuses FOX news of using to arrive at the conclusion that

Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states.

[Guest guest]

Lucky for me the neuro keeps me from being able to read anything that

complicated. I just read a couple of lines and cut and paste. What did it say?

KATL1957@... wrote:

In a message dated 11/22/2005 4:30:21 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

mac_mcd@... writes:

CSPP claims Lyme disease is not a problem in Southern states

Gosh Mac ..must be hard to read that when you have it and ARE in a southern

state !!! DAMN CSPP !!!!! I'm sorry , but I bet that really messed up your

day ! Hang tough ....Kat

[Guest guest]

I live in tennessee and it seems like 1 in approximately every 20

people I talk to either has it or knows someone who has had Lyme just

in my area. Yet other people have no clue what Lyme is other thatn

caused by a tick. I wanted to donate plasma and was told by one plasma

center that because my husband has chronic lyme, I could not donate

even though my titer was negative, yet the other plasma center told me

it " should " be safe for me to donate. I decide to be cautious and NOT

donate. I could not live with myself if I infected other people.

Anita

[Guest guest]

Really? I contracted Lyme and RMSF in TN. When I was there this summer

and told old friends I had been dianosed with Lyme they all looked at

me like I was some leper that had got diseased from being out West.

They knew it came from ticks, but that's about all. No one seemed

concerned that they might have it despite fact you can pick up a tick

just walking to the mailbox in TN.

That was smart of the plasma center. The blood banks do not test for

Lyme and do not regard it as dangerous. My dad has Lyme and is allowed

to donate. He won't listen to me, so don't anyone start on me!

>

> I live in tennessee and it seems like 1 in approximately every 20

> people I talk to either has it or knows someone who has had Lyme just

> in my area. Yet other people have no clue what Lyme is other thatn

> caused by a tick. I wanted to donate plasma and was told by one

plasma

> center that because my husband has chronic lyme, I could not donate

> even though my titer was negative, yet the other plasma center told

me

> it " should " be safe for me to donate. I decide to be cautious and NOT

> donate. I could not live with myself if I infected other people.

>

> Anita

>