Archive for the ‘Lyme’ Category

Complaint Against Dr. Paul Gisbert Auwaerter License Number: D0041413

https://www.change.org/p/the-us-senate-calling-for-a-congressional-investigation-of-the-cdc-idsa-and-aldf/u/33656237?

Complaint against Dr. Paul Gisbert Auwaerter License Number: D0041413

Carl Tuttle
Hudson, NH, United States
Jun 27, 2025

Please see the following complaint submitted to the Maryland Board of Physicians along with their response. I followed up in disgust as the disinformation continues year after year decade after decade by the same deceitful individuals who have been propagating the false Lyme disease narrative.

If you agree with my complaint, please voice your concerns by writing to Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland where Dr Paul Auwaerter practices medicine. Reference this Petition Update link and lets flood his inbox with emails! (No matter where you live!!)

governor.mail@maryland.gov

lt.governor@maryland.gov

Picture of Governor Moore found here: https://www.mbp.state.md.us/

———- Original Message ———-
From: CARL TUTTLE <runagain@comcast.net>
To: “mdh.mbp_intake@maryland.gov” <mdh.mbp_intake@maryland.gov>
Cc: “oag@oag.state.md.us” <oag@oag.state.md.us>, “cquattrocki@oag.state.md.us” <cquattrocki@oag.state.md.us>, “musa.eubanks@oag.state.md.us” <musa.eubanks@oag.state.md.us>
Date: 06/21/2025 7:56 AM EDT
Subject: Complaint against Dr. Paul Gisbert Auwaerter License Number: D0041413

June 21, 2025

Maryland Board of Physicians
Complaint Intake Unit
4201 Patterson Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215

Re: Dr. Paul Gisbert Auwaerter, License Number: D0041413

To whom it may concern,

I would like to file a complaint against Dr. Paul Gisbert Auwaerter for propagating false/misleading statements regarding the testing and treatment of tick-borne diseases as there exists a substantial risk of serious harm to public health, safety, and welfare from his misinformation.

Please see the following correspondence with Dr Auwaerter and Medscape’s Editorial Staff regarding the misinformation Auwaerter has been allowed to spread (and viewed by physicians across the country) essentially downplaying the threat of tick-borne disease co-infections while claiming serology for Lyme disease is a “good test.” This deliberate misrepresentation is an ethical concern as Auwaerter, past president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, is considered an “expert” in the field.

This is not an isolated case. The IDSA has had a history of misinformation; In 2021, the Patient Centered Care Advocacy Group demanded the removal of an inaccurate statement by the IDSA which excluded maternal-fetal transmission of Lyme disease. Congenital transmission was fist described in 1985.

Advocate asks IDSA to remove false statement about Lyme transmission
https://www.lymedisease.org/fries-idsa-remove-false-statements/

Auwaerter was the lead author of the deplorable Lancet Infectious Disease article:

Antiscience and ethical concerns associated with advocacy of Lyme disease
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21867956/

Please consider sending a cease-and-desist letter to Dr. Auwaerter demanding an end to his engaging in this harmful misinformation campaign and require a correction and/or retraction of the statements identified in the correspondence that follows.

A response to this complaint is requested.

Respectfully submitted,

Carl Tuttle
Independent Researcher
Hudson, NH

Cc: Anthony G. Brown, Attorney General
Carolyn A. Quattrocki, Chief Deputy Attorney General
Musa L. Eubanks, Principal Counsel Maryland Department of Health

Correspondence with Dr Auwaerter and Medscape’s Editorial Staff:

———- Original Message ———-
From: CARL TUTTLE <runagain@comcast.net>
To: “pauwaert@jhmi.edu” <pauwaert@jhmi.edu>, “pgauwaerter@gmail.com” <pgauwaerter@gmail.com>
Cc: “aaguilar@webmd.net” <aaguilar@webmd.net>, “DFlapan@Medscape.net” <DFlapan@Medscape.net>, “lkane@medscape.net” <lkane@medscape.net>, “gamiller@medscape.net” <gamiller@medscape.net>, “dolmos@webmd.net” <dolmos@webmd.net>, “sarah.wright@webmd.net” <sarah.wright@webmd.net>, “editor2@webmd.net” <editor2@webmd.net>, “mmcnutt@nas.edu” <mmcnutt@nas.edu>, “jliao@nas.edu” <jliao@nas.edu>, “news@medscape.net” <news@medscape.net>
Date: 06/15/2025 12:13 PM EDT
Subject: Medscape: Chronic Lyme Infection-Associated Illness in Urgent Need of Symptom-Targeted Treatments

June 15, 2025

The IDSA Foundation
1300 Wilson Boulevard Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22209
Attn:  Paul Auwaerter, vice chair of the IDSA Foundation

Dr Auwaerter,

I would like to call attention to the following Medscape article referencing the recent National Academies of Sciences review of Lyme disease through a recommendation of the Tick Borne Disease Working Group calling for a review of all the literature.

Medscape Medical News June 10, 2025

Chronic Lyme Infection-Associated Illness in Urgent Need of Symptom-Targeted Treatments
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/chronic-lyme-infection-associated-illness-urgent-need-2025a1000fhv

Regarding laboratory testing…

“The current two-tier serologic testing approach based on the Dearborn criteria has limitations and may not detect all cases of Lyme disease, particularly in patients with early or late disease or those who remain symptomatic after treatment.”

In contrast Dr. Auwaerter you continue to promote serology as a “Good Test” with your recent recorded interview for the so-called “Clinician Toolkit” promoted by the American Medical Association which just so happened to be paid five million dollars to buy into this misinformation through CDC grant#  NU50CK000597

Oct 3, 2024
Improving Care for Patients with Prolonged Symptoms and Concerns about Lyme Disease: A Clinician Toolkit 
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/improving-care-patients-prolonged-symptoms-and-concerns-about-lyme

Imbedded recording:

Understanding Lyme Disease with Dr. Paul Auwaerter (@12:30 into the recording)

“If you have symptoms for more than a few weeks it’s a very good test and I think there’s a common misconception it’s not a good test. And what is true is it’s not a good test if you’ve only been infected for a week or two because the body hasn’t mounted enough time to develop antibodies. But if people have had symptoms for three, four weeks or longer, it is a good blood test to help assess these later symptoms that could be neurologic, muscular, skeletal, or occasionally cardiac.” – Paul Auwaerter

Serology is so unreliable that in 2013 Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell signed HB1933 into law requiring healthcare providers to notify those tested that current laboratory testing can produce false negatives.

Governor Chris Sununu’s 2020-2021 commission to study diagnostic testing for Lyme disease concluded that the FDA approved two-tier serologic immunoassay for Lyme was not reliable in all stages of disease; no better than a coin toss.

Peer-reviewed evidence of “Seronegativity in Lyme borreliosis and Other Spirochetal Infections” 16 September 2003
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3d6m45jzlhhwalu/Seronegativity.pdf?dl=0

And yet Dr. Auwaerter you continue to promote serology as a “good test”

Furthermore, you refused to answer my inquiry regarding your Medscape commentary of Oct 2023

Medscape COMMENTARY

New Federal Oversight of Lab Developed Tests
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/997365

Excerpt:

“I often see patients who are concerned they might have Lyme disease, or they’ve been told by other physicians that they have a tickborne or multiple infections. I’ve had patients who claim to have five or six infections: Lyme disease, Babesia, Bartonella, Mycoplasma, or Epstein-Barr virus. They bring LDT results from outside laboratories, which often have a proviso that these tests are only for research or educational purposes. Yet, they purport finding analytes (antibodies or proteins) that suggest the patient has an active infection. These patients may have been treated but are not improving, so they are referred to me.” – Paul Auwaerter

Carl Tuttle’s Inquiry: (which remains unanswered and posted to that commentary)

Dr. Auwaerter… I would like to call attention to the following 2009 tick study conducted here in New Hampshire:
 
Correlation between Tick Density and Pathogen Endemicity, New Hampshire
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671416/
 
The study found deer ticks were carrying multiple pathogens (co-infections) that could be transmitted in a single bite.
 
What FDA approved Tick-Borne Disease Panel are you recommending so as not to miss any of these infections?
 
A response to this inquiry is requested.
 
Carl Tuttle
Hudson, NH
___________________

Dr. Auwaerter,

Are you aware of the following announcement? IGeneX is finding those “multiple infections” you claim do not exist….

IGeneX Lyme ImmunoBlot test kit receives FDA clearance
https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-immunoblot-fda-clearance/

GETTING STARTED WITH IGENEX
https://igenex.com/wp-content/uploads/getting-started-with-igenex.pdf

A 2018 study of 10,000+ patient samples from nearly every state:
 
37.3% were positive for Babesia species
32.1% for Lyme Borrelia
27.7% for TBRF Borrelia
19.1% for Bartonella
16.7% for Anaplasma
12.8% for Rickettsia
6.9% for Ehrlichia

Co-infections:

40% tested positive for two pathogens
15% tested positive for three pathogens
4.6% tested positive for four pathogens
0.7% tested positive for five pathogens

What is going on here Dr. Auwaerter? Are you completely uninformed or deliberately promoting misinformation? Will you be correcting/retracting your statements?

A response to this inquiry is requested.

Carl Tuttle
Independent Researcher
Hudson, NH

Cc: MEDSCAPE EDITORIAL STAFF
Marcia McNutt, President of the National Academy of Sciences and Chair of the National Research Council
Send comments and news tips to news@medscape.net

_________________________________________________________________

To the Maryland Board of Physicians:

Additional complaints against Auwaerter:
 
1. The Mayday Project Responds to Dr. Paul Auwaerter’s Defense of IDSA Guidelines for Lyme Disease
https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=192558

2. Hopkins Physician Says Lyme Disease Patients Create Conspiracy Theories About Their Illnesses
https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=197392

3. Mothers Against Lyme Calls for Retraction of False Information on Congenital Lyme in IDSA, AAN, ACR Guidelines
Retraction request cites harm to pregnant women and children
https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=281005

4. Detailed patient experience because of the false information (Please read)
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=30451510191160844

Excerpt:

“I’ve tried explaining this a few times and I won’t stop until people get it. This isn’t like cancer or any other disease where I can go to a Dr that’s covered by my insurance and receive treatment. What is happening here is criminal and if you don’t believe me, ask ANYONE with Lyme.”

Response from the Maryland State Board of Physicians

———- Original Message ———-
From: MDH mbp_intake -MDH- <mdh.mbp_intake@maryland.gov>
To: CARL TUTTLE <runagain@comcast.net>
Date: 06/26/2025 11:09 AM EDT
Subject: Re: Complaint against Dr. Paul Gisbert Auwaerter License Number: D0041413

Good morning, Mr. Tuttle:

Please see the attached.

Thank you,
Intake Unit
Maryland State Board of Physicians

The Board of Physicians is committed to customer service.  Please visit https://www.doit.state.md.us/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?agencycode=MBP&SurveyID=86M2956 to take our Customer Satisfaction Survey.

My reply to the Maryland State Board of Physicians:

———- Original Message ———-
From: CARL TUTTLE <runagain@comcast.net>
To: MDH mbp_intake -MDH- <mdh.mbp_intake@maryland.gov>, “jennifer.saylor-florio@maryland.gov” <jennifer.saylor-florio@maryland.gov>
Cc: “Harbhajan.Ajrawat@maryland.gov” <Harbhajan.Ajrawat@maryland.gov>, “Christine.Farrelly@maryland.gov” <Christine.Farrelly@maryland.gov>, “hajrawat@gmail.com” <hajrawat@gmail.com>, “oag@oag.state.md.us” <oag@oag.state.md.us>, “cquattrocki@oag.state.md.us” <cquattrocki@oag.state.md.us>, “governor.mail@maryland.gov” <governor.mail@maryland.gov>, “lt.governor@maryland.gov” <lt.governor@maryland.gov>
Date: 06/27/2025 8:31 AM EDT
Subject: Re: Complaint against Dr. Paul Gisbert Auwaerter License Number: D0041413

Intake Unit
Maryland State Board of Physicians,
via   <jennifer.saylor-florio@maryland.gov>

Dr. Saylor-Florio,

I would like to call attention to the following statement found in the attached response to my complaint against Dr Paul Auwaerter:

“The Board of Physicians is responsible for assuring that licensed physicians and allied health practitioners render competent medical care to the citizens of Maryland”

Isn’t that statement a bit hypocritical when you allow a physician to claim serology for Lyme disease is a “good test” when in fact it is no better than a coin toss while using his position of authority as past president of the IDSA to propagate that falsehood?

I question the credibility of this medical board willing to turn a blind eye to Auwaerter’s misleading statements. How could he possibly provide competent medical care believing that serology is a good test while tick-borne co-infections are of little concern? The potential for harm or negative outcomes is substantial and noteworthy.

Carl Tuttle
Independent researcher
Hudson, NH

Cc: Harbhajan Ajrawat, M.D. Chair
Anthony G. Brown, Attorney General
Carolyn A. Quattrocki, Chief Deputy Attorney General
Wes Moore, Governor
Aruna Miller Lt Governor

_______________

**Comment**

I find it quite telling that the Maryland Board of Physicians claims it does not have legal authority to investigate Dr. Auwaerter’s patently false statements about Lyme testing.  State Boards over Physicians had no trouble whatsoever investigating and persecuting any doctor during COVID who advocated for treatments (ivermectin, HCQ, vitamins, etc.) other than what the top-down accepted narrative had to offer (ventilators, remdesivir, the clot shot, etc), or whom questioned the clot shot gene therapy which was touted as ‘safe and effective,” like a mantra.

Do not expect justice from these ‘professional’ medical groups.

They are on the wrong side of the fence.

For More:

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Testing

Minnesota Woman With Chronic Lyme Shares Misdiagnosis Story

http://

Woman with chronic Lyme disease shares misdiagnosis story | Talking Points

I get it.  I really do. 

Testing for Lyme disease is a black hole without end.

I’m so jaded I personally don’t put any stock whatsoever into testing for tick-borne infections. They are a waste of time and money – particularly since chronic patients need to carefully plan where they decide to put their pennies as money will be flowing out their pockets for years.

If you want to understand testing, you must also understand the sordid Lyme disease vaccine history at Dearborn, Michigan:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/02/10/the-bitter-feud-over-lymerix/

In short, two Bb proteins OspA and OspB which are the most specific for Lyme disease were removed from testing due to the fact they interfered with Lyme vaccine development.  

An issue that has NEVER been resolved.

Testing:

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Testing

A.W. Finnegan Testimony to Support Bodily Autonomy & Health Freedom

https://immunetolerance.substack.com/p/my-testimony-at-the-joint-committee?  Video Here (Approx. 3 Min)

Testimony at the Joint Committee on the Judiciary to Support Bodily Autonomy & Health Freedom

6/10/25

“Dear Lawmakers,

My name is Adam W. Finnegan, I am a resident of Brewster, Massachusetts, I am here to voice my SUPPORT for S1227/H2011, Acts relative to bodily autonomy and family integrity.

I have been researching and writing about chronic disease for many years now, I am currently the author of a book on biodefense history called The Sleeper Agent, heavily cited with official documents and scientific publications, and I’ve been organizing educational material for a newly forming organization called The Biosecurity Ethics and Immune Tolerance Awareness Initiative. Immune tolerance is a term coined for a state of chronic immunodeficiency that results in a multi-system, complex chronic disease where latent viruses reactivate into active infection due to the immunodeficiency and cause systemic chronic health problems, neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders, and cancer. This form of immunodeficiency is not tested for nor included to be assessed in routine checkups nor in vaccine safety.

It was discovered by the German virologist Erich Traub starting in 1935, and he continued to study the condition all the way to his death in 1985. It explains how people can have stealth infections lacking antibodies and observable inflammation. It is the reason why so many Americans can be sick and incapacitated, but when they go to their healthcare providers who run tests, scans, and clinical observation but see nothing wrong with them. They are then told they are not sick. It also shows how vaccinated persons can spread disease in the absence of symptoms which is extremely important and a huge blind spot in public health.

This has shown me that our current medical system is incompetent. Which can be dangerous if certain health conditions are not being addressed and the doctors are not even taught about. It is the reason why I have not been able to get any help from the medical system for my own health problems, and have had to explore other avenues.

I believe bodily autonomy is one of the most important and basic natural rights that we have. Without this, we are slaves, at the mercy of corporations and government agencies which have shown time and time again that they do not value or even know what is good for our well-being. The current medical system is becoming too powerful and exhibiting authoritarian approaches, which is very very concerning. Bodily autonomy and health freedom is the most essential of rights in a free society.

In light of this, I strongly SUPPORT S1227/H2011, Acts relative to bodily autonomy and family integrity. and I urge you to do the same.

Thank you for your time,

Adam W. Finnegan”

______________

**Comment**

Adam, a Lyme disease and immune tolerance survivor, has done a boat-load of research into the rise of Lyme disease and other chronic illnesses, particularly the work of German scientist, Dr. Erich Traub.  He’s written the following:

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/06/26/fluorescent-image-of-borrelia-living-quite-happily-with-a-macrophage/  In this link is a fluorescent image of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, living quite happily with a macrophage – a type of white blood cell that is supposed to engulf and digest pathogens.  This is a large reason why patients are not getting better.

Category:

Activism, Lyme

A Case For Chronic Lyme: A Medical Perspective

https://danielcameronmd.com/chronic-lyme-exist/

The Case for Chronic Lyme: A Medical Perspective With Dr. Cameron

Posted By: Laurie Martin

The Chronic Lyme Disease Controversy 

I’ve been treating chronic Lyme disease for 37 years. In that time, I’ve witnessed firsthand the struggles of patients whose symptoms didn’t resolve after the standard course of antibiotics. I’ve also seen how the medical community has been deeply divided on the existence of chronic Lyme disease.

Many of my colleagues—some of whom I deeply respect—have argued with me over the years, insisting that chronic Lyme disease doesn’t exist. They believed that once a patient completes a prescribed course of antibiotics, any lingering symptoms must be the result of something else—an autoimmune response, lingering inflammation, or simply the wear and tear of everyday life. Some even suggested that the symptoms were psychological, a product of health anxiety rather than a persistent infection.

Their skepticism wasn’t entirely unfounded. The medical community places a high value on evidence-based medicine, and in the absence of a universally accepted diagnostic test for chronic Lyme disease, many physicians were unwilling to acknowledge what they couldn’t definitively prove. But for me, the proof wasn’t in a single test—it was in the patients I saw every day, the ones who continued to struggle with unrelenting fatigue, joint pain, cognitive dysfunction, neuropathy, and dysautonomia (POTS) long after their treatment ended.

A Shift in Perspective: Acknowledging Chronic Manifestations

While some colleagues remained rigid in their views, others began to recognize that Lyme disease could lead to serious, chronic complications. Over time, Lyme arthritis, Lyme encephalopathy, Lyme neuropathy, Chronic Neurologic Lyme, Neuropsychiatric Lyme, PANS, POTS, and PTLDS were increasingly acknowledged in medical literature. These weren’t vague, unproven conditions—these were well-documented manifestations of Lyme disease that had been observed in patients.

It was particularly interesting to see that many of my colleagues—who had once completely dismissed the idea of chronic Lyme disease—began to accept the concept of Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS). They acknowledged that some patients remained ill after treatment, sometimes for years. They saw the ongoing fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and pain that persisted long after the initial infection.

But even as they accepted PTLDS, many still refused to consider that a persistent tick-borne infection might be responsible for these symptoms. They viewed PTLDS as an immunologic response to a past infection rather than a sign that the bacteria were still present. This created a paradox—if they could acknowledge that patients were still sick, why couldn’t they entertain the idea that there was an active infection driving these symptoms?

The Importance of Keeping an Open Mind

There’s still so much we need to learn about Lyme disease, particularly in its chronic form. Dismissing the possibility of persistent infection without fully exploring the science doesn’t serve patients. Many Lyme patients feel abandoned by the medical community because they are told their symptoms aren’t real or that they shouldn’t still be sick. But I’ve seen too many cases where patients responded positively to additional treatment—sometimes with extended antibiotics, sometimes with a combination of therapies targeting co-infections like Babesia or Bartonella.

I’ve also seen how new research continues to challenge old assumptions. Studies have shown that Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, can persist in animal models even after antibiotic treatment. Other research suggests that biofilms and persister cells may allow the bacteria to evade treatment, potentially leading to chronic symptoms. While the debate continues, the evidence pointing toward persistent infection is growing.

What This Means for Patients

For patients who continue to suffer, the name of their condition—whether it’s called chronic Lyme disease, persistent Lyme infection, or PTLDS—is far less important than the reality they live with every day. What matters most is that we, as doctors, listen to our patients, acknowledge their suffering, and remain open to the possibility that Lyme disease is far more complex than we once believed.

The more I work with Lyme disease patients, the clearer it becomes—chronic Lyme disease is real. And for many, the right treatment can mean the difference between lifelong suffering and reclaiming their health.

We must continue asking the tough questions, challenging old beliefs, and keeping an open mind. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about proving a point—it’s about helping people get their lives back.

Related Articles:

Lyme disease as a cause of chronic illness for some patients

What is “chronic Lyme disease”?

Chronic Lyme disease patients dismissed by medical community

_______________

**Comment**

Absence of proof isn’t proof of absence.

For more:

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research

Lyme Disease Patient Got Worse on Antibiotics – Until We Adjusted the Dose

https://danielcameronmd.com/lyme-disease-antibiotics/

My Lyme Disease Patient Got Worse on Antibiotics—Until We Adjusted the Dose

Posted By: Dr. Daniel Cameron

He was ready to quit treatment.

The antibiotics were making him feel worse, not better—nausea, fatigue, and a sense that his body was shutting down. He told me, “Doc, I don’t think I can keep doing this.”

I knew we needed a new approach—but not necessarily a new medication. Instead, I asked:
What if we adjusted the dose?

⚖️ When Less Is More

Instead of the standard full dose, we lowered it—just enough to reduce the burden on his system, while still targeting the infection. It was a small tweak, but the impact was big:

  1. His side effects eased within days
  2. His energy improved
  3. And most importantly, his Lyme symptoms began to resolve

🧩 Why Individualized Treatment Matters

This case reminded me that Lyme disease treatment isn’t about pushing patients to the edge—it’s about meeting them where they are. If a full dose overwhelms the system, patients can’t heal. But the right adjustment? That can unlock progress.

Every patient’s journey is different. Sometimes, it’s not about starting over—it’s about finding the dose that works.

💡 A Gentle Nudge, Not a Full Detour

This patient didn’t need a new medication or a brand-new protocol. He just needed someone to see the bigger picture and make a targeted change. That one adjustment helped him stay the course—and ultimately, heal.

___________________

**Comment**

I wonder how many would have stayed the course if they would have known this information?

Dosage matters, in fact, according to Dr. Burrascano, blood levels of various drugs were undetectable in some patients, despite using the same exact CDC guideline of 200 mg of doxycycline.

For more:

BTW: I felt miserable on antibiotics while my husband felt better.  Every person has their own response.  Treating this with an individual approach is imperative as no two respond identically.  This is why mainstream medicine is woefully unprepared and inexperienced in treating this.

Category:

Lyme, Treatment