Madison Area Lyme Support Group

The 116th Congress House Committee on Appropriations submitted a report in explanation of bill H.R. 2740, the Omnibus that funds Health and Human Services (HHS) including the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and outlines the final legislative language and designation of funds for vector-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, for fiscal year ending September 30, 2020.

Highlights from the House Explanatory Statement include:

• The Committee encourages NIAID to intensify research and development on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, including research that will increase understanding of the full range of processes that cause Lyme disease infection. This should include research on the physiology of Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii, including the mechanisms of possible persistent infection, potential treatment protocols for extended or long-term symptoms attributed to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, and development of more sensitive and accurate diagnostic tests for Lyme and tick-borne diseases, including next generation polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and new testing methodologies such as proteomics and metabolomics. The Committee directs NIAID to support research on the heightened incidence of Lyme Disease and vector-borne diseases due to global warming.
• The Committee encourages NIH to improve early diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases (TBD) to prevent the development of late stage disease and more serious and longer-term disability, but also intensify research on diagnosis and treatment of late stage and chronic disease. In addition to development of highly sensitive and specific diagnostics for all stages of disease, a goal should be to develop diagnostics with appropriate sensitivity and specificity for the detection of infection. Treatments also should be developed for all stages of Lyme and other TBD, determining optimal combinations of new candidate or older drugs and exploring novel combinations.

A statement from a Congressional spokesperson further clarifies that, “The agreement includes an increase and encourages CDC, in coordination with NINDS and NIMH, to include in its surveillance the long-term effects. CDC is also encouraged to coordinate with NIH on publishing reports that assess prevention, treatment, diagnostic advancements, and links between tick-borne disease and psychiatric illnesses. CDC is encouraged to focus efforts in endemic areas as well as areas not yet considered endemic.”

Thank you to Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-4) for working with LDA to get some of this language included. Thank you to other advocates and legislators who also provided input into the process.

The CDC received a $2,000,000 increase for Lyme disease.

Click here to view the full H. Rept. 116-62 Explanatory Statement

Click here to view HR 1865 Division A

_________________

**Comment**

The heightened incidence of Lyme disease has nothing to do with “global warming”according to independent Canadian tick researcher John Scott, and is a red herring being used to divert our attention from important issues:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/07/ticks-on-the-move-due-to-migrating-birds-and-photoperiod-not-climate-change/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/08/13/study-shows-lyme-not-propelled-by-climate-change/

“For blacklegged ticks, climate change is an apocryphal issue.” -John Scott

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD THAT CLIMATE DATA WILL NOT HELP PATIENTS ONE IOTA.

For an excellent interview with John Scott:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/08/14/canadian-tick-expert-climate-change-is-not-behind-lyme-disease/ (He also explains the bogus Lyme vaccine as well)

Excerpt:

John explains, “The climate change range expansion model is what the authorities have been using to rationalize how they have done nothing for more than thirty years. It’s a huge cover-up scheme that goes back to the 1980’s. The grandiose scheme was a nefarious plot to let doctors off the hook from having to deal with this debilitating disease. I caught onto it very quickly. Most people have been victims of it ever since.”

“This climate change ‘theory’ is all part of a well-planned scheme. Even the ticks are smarter than the people who’ve concocted this thing,” he says.

“Climate change has nothing to do with tick movement. Blacklegged ticks are ecoadaptive, and tolerate wide temperature fluctuations. On hot summer days, these ticks descend into the cool, moist leaf litter and rehydrate. In winter, they descend into the leaf litter, and are comfortable under an insulating blanket of snow. Ticks have antifreeze-like compounds in their bodies, and can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. For instance, at Kenora, Ontario, the air temperature peaks at 36°C and dips to –44°C, and blacklegged ticks survive successfully.

“Ticks are marvellous eco-adaptors. They will be the last species on the planet. Do you see how silly this theory of climate change is as a way to rationalize what’s happening. It’s all a red herring to divert your attention,” he explains.

Please know that Lyme advocates can also fall prey to the draw of power and money and for some reason good, independent research is being ignored to the peril of patients. Diverting research dollars away from issues like transmission studies, studies for more sensitive and accurate testing, as well as effective treatments has been a ploy of authorities since the beginning. Research has been run by a Cabal who have rife conflicts of interest, controlling the narrative and setting faulty study parameters for a predesignated outcome:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/01/13/lyme-science-owned-by-good-ol-boys/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/22/why-mainstream-lyme-msids-research-remains-in-the-dark-ages/

Lyme patient and advocate Carl Tuttle writes about this diversion of funds away from important issues needing study such as borrelia persistence and appropriate treatment:  https://www.change.org/p/the-us-senate-calling-for-a-congressional-investigation-of-the-cdc-idsa-and-aldf/u/25690522?

Excerpt:

Per my email below which you were carbon copied on January 31st, wouldn’t it make better sense to fund research into finding a cure for this antibiotic resistant/tolerant superbug instead of financing those with a bias (racketeering scheme) against persistent infection?

NIH Funding: RO1 CK 000152 has been used to suppress evidence of persistent infection while avoiding the horribly disabled Lyme patient community. Isn’t this fraudulent use of taxpayer dollars? So why does it continue under the support of the Centers for Disease Control; an agency under your direct supervision?

https://www.change.org/p/the-us-senate-calling-for-a-congressional-investigation-of-the-cdc-idsa-and-aldf/u/25681241?

Excerpt:

One again we see Dr. Wormser unethically fixated on the acute stage of disease after bulls-eye rash. This does not represent the entire Lyme patient population!

Patients who have had a prolonged exposure to the pathogen and advance to late stage are almost always incapacitated. By avoiding the late stage horribly disabled Lyme patient population, you can perpetuate a forty year racketeering scheme to deny persistent infection.

Patient testimony all across America is describing a disease that is destroying lives, ending careers while leaving its victim in financial ruin.

Time to become extremely focused and demand research for issues that will help patients. We don’t need more climate data.