What to do with Lyme treatment guidelines?

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What to do with Lyme treatment guidelines?

Recommendations on whether or not to revise or rewrite expected

later this year

BY JAKE WILLIAMS | STAFF WRITER

Last May, Connecticut Attorney General Blumenthal launched an

anti-trust investigation into the potential conflicts of panel members

who led the writing of the Infectious Disease Society of America's

(IDSA) 2006 guidelines for treating Lyme disease. " Medical guidelines

have profoundly powerful consequences for countless lives, driving

doctors' treatment decisions and insurance company coverage determinations,

" Mr. Blumenthal said in a statement released the day of the hearing.

" Such significant clinical standards deserve the most intensive scrutiny

from all perspectives --- physicians, scientists and patients --- before

they are published. "

Shelter Island has among the highest Lyme disease incidence rates in New

York State.

Mr. Blumenthal's findings of actual conflicts of interest led to a

public hearing in Washington D.C. last Thursday during which a new panel

heard testimony on why the guidelines should or should not be changed.

Most at issue was whether, or how, chronic Lyme disease could be

defined. If it cannot be defined, definitive guidelines cannot be

written on how to treat it.

The new panel heard from 18 experts, two of whom were on the 2006 panel.

When the final report is issued, which is expected by the end of the

year, the IDSA review panel can recommend no changes be made, revisions

to certain sections or a complete re-write of the guidelines. " Should

our review panel recommend a change, IDSA will convene a separate panel

to carry out that task, " Review Panel Chair Carol Baker stated in a

press release prior to the hearing.

Though he did not attend the hearing, Mr. Blumenthal watched via

webcast, which is available for viewing on IDSA's website at

idsociety.org/Content.aspx?id=15026. Afterwards, he told the Greenwich

Time newspaper, " The panelists seemed to be listening very intently,

asking probing and perceptive questions, which augurs well for the outcome. "

What that outcome will be remains to be seen. Those arguing to change

the guidelines and those advocating for keeping them were far apart on

basic issues. Dr. Wormser, who chaired the 2006 IDSA panel, quoted

the guidelines when he said during the hearing, " IDSA considers

adherence to these guidelines to be voluntary. "

Read the rest and post your comment at

http://www2.timesreview.com/SIR/Stories/si_lyme_8_13

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