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Lyme Disease symptoms vary from person to person. (lymes disease lyme's disease lime disease limes disease)
The data and information presented in this web site are presented in good faith and believed to be accurate regarding Lyme disease (commonly misspelled lymes disease lyme's disease lime disease limes disease) and other related diseases. Any and all liability for the content or any omissions including any inaccuracies, errors, or misstatements in such data or information is expressly disclaimed. The web site is compiled for the sole purpose of informing community members of resources and information pertaining to Lyme Borreliosis Disease and its coinfections. Lyme disease symptoms may vary from person to person.
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Consult a qualified Lyme ( Borreliosis ) Disease literate doctor for medical advice if Lyme Disease is suspect to discuss your Lymes Disease Symptoms.
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Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Inc.
A Voice for Private Physicians Since 1943
Omnia pro aegroto
Volume 64, No. 6 June 2008
Antitrust Investigation Shows Guidelines Flawed
On May 1, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced that his
antitrust investigation has uncovered serious flaws in the Infectious
Diseases Society of America's (IDSA) process for writing Lyme disease guidelines.
Although IDSA called the guidelines "voluntary," they are used by
UnitedHealth Care, Health Net, Blue Cross of California, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan,
and other insurers to deny payment for long-term antibiotic treatment. They
strongly influence physicians' treatment decisions and are frequently cited
to justify conclusions that chronic Lyme disease does not exist.
Blumenthal found that IDSA failed to conduct a conflicts-of- interest review
and that influential panelists had a conflict. Failure to follow its own
procedures enabled the chairman to appoint a hand-picked panel, without
scrutiny. The Lyme panel refused to consider dissenting opinions, and once even
removed a member in order to achieve "consensus." IDSA tried to portray the
guidelines promulgated by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) as independent
corroboration, when in fact the panels shared key members, came to the same
conclusions, and used the same wording. IDSA then used the AAN's supposedly
independent findings in attempt to defeat federal legislation to establish a Lyme
disease advisory panel and state legislation to support antibiotic therapy
for chronic Lyme disease.
IDSA and AAN reject the guidelines of the International Lyme and Associated
Diseases Society (ILADS) because it cites evidence they consider
insufficiently rigorous. (Neurology Today 10/16/07). IDSA and AAN rely heavily on
randomized controlled double-blind studies; however, "when a positive result is
found, they discredit the study," notes neurologist Lawrence R. Huntoon, M.D.,
Ph.D. Too many patients in the study (Neurology 2003;60:1923-1930) guessed that
they were in the treatment group, suggesting that "unblinding" had occurred.
AAN's confidence in its ability to judge the effectiveness of treatment is
apparently not dampened by its inability to make an accurate diagnosis of
neuroborreliosis (neurologic Lyme disease). The state-of-the-art antibody test
has too many false negatives (Neurology Today, op. cit.)
Insurance coverage is not the only issue. Malpractice attorneys can attack
physicians who do not follow guidelines which become the de facto "standard of
care." And insurers can file anonymous complaints with medical boards about
noncompliant physicians. "Too expensive" = "practicing below the insurance
standard of care," notes Dr. Huntoon.
Sheila M. Statlender, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
53 Langley Road - Suite 330C
Newton Centre, MA 02459
617-965-2329
AAPS
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