NEWS: Immediate action needed on House Lyme bill
Important Lyme-related legislation–HR 4701–goes up for a vote in the US House of Representatives between September 9 & 11.
From the Lyme Disease Association (LDA) website:
Alert! Immediate Action Needed on House Bill Vote, May Be Early as Tomorrow (Tuesday) in DC
The Lyme bill, H.R. 4701 – Vector-Borne Disease Research Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (Sponsored by Rep. Chris Gibson / Energy and Commerce Committee), will go for a vote before the US House of Representatives somewhere between Tuesday, Sept. 9, and Thursday, September 11.
Primary Action to take
Click here for a link to find your own Congressman
Please call/fax/email your own US Congressman/woman RIGHT NOW and say:
Please support H.R. 4701 – Vector-Borne Disease Research Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 that is before the House. Thank you.
If you want to take further action
Find all (or some other) Congressmen in your own state and contact them with the same message
http://www.house.gov/representatives/ find your state delegation
If you want further information on this bill*
Click here for further bill information
*Minor changes were made to the bill after the July mark-up in committee. This is the link to latest (Sept. 5, 2014) version of bill:
http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20140908/H4701_SUS_xml.pdf
please vote yes on the vector disease bill
make it happen now!
I have had lymes disease since 11/88 and testing needs to be changed so its accurate. Igenex labs in ca is the only lab in the country that is accurate please get better testing!!
My wife and I both have Lyme and while our “Lyme Aware Physician” was able to help with my knee… Lyme has taken much or my wife’s short term memory and pains seem to show up everywhere for her more than any place else. It’s shameful that there are inoculations for Lyme that my Pets can get but there are none for we Humans! Also, it’s shameful how little the “doctor” (that my health insurance pays for) knows about Lyme disease that is actually true!
Thanks to LymeDisease.org for the heads up on this bill. I called both of my Congresspersons offices and ran that flag up the pole. Hopefully many will do that!
Please support H.R. 4701 – Vector-Borne Disease Research Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 that is before the House. Thank you. – See more at: https://lymedisease.org/news/lyme_disease_views/hr4701.html?utm_source=Federal+Lyme+bill&utm_campaign=Fed+Lyme+bill&utm_medium=email#sthash.e7Rn6uR4.dpuf
VOTE YES___JUST DO IT!!!!!
I have had Lyme for about 8 years. Please pass this bill. HR 4701.
Please vote to pass HR 4701 Vector Borne Research Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014. Both I and my daughters, brother, sister, niece, husband, sisters-in law, neighbors and associate workers have had, or do have LYME DISEASE.
My youngest daughter has been out of work for 6 years and it is doubtful she will ever be able to return to the workforce. It has settled in her brain. This disease MUST be recognized and treated APPROPRIATELY!!!!! 2 Wees of antibiotics just doesn’t cut it folks!. Please help us and be our strong voice in you vote. Thank you!
Please support H.R. 4701-Vector Borne Disease Research Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 that is before the house.
Thank-you,
Susan Goode
I am a retired college professor with three joint replacements. Lyme disease with severe dementia forced my retirement in 1987. I went from begin super fit to being invalid. I now use my teaching skills doing volunteer work for the MN Lyme Association. Please pass HR 4701 -Vector Borne Disease research accountability and transparency act of 2014 to bring about cooperation instead of competitive approach to research.
My 48 y.o. daughter has had a clinical diagnosis of lyme for over 3 years. This disease is truly life threatening and disabling. Please support legislation HR 4701 Vector-Borne disease Accountability. If it isn’t your issue, it may well be in the near future.
Is this bill just for NY State? Where is the bill or a synopsis. I have no idea what is in it.
Shirley,
Just scroll up to the middle of this page and click on the address to read the entire bill:
http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20140908/H4701_SUS_xml.pdf#sthash.apS1xSnu.dpuf
This is a federal bill, which is coming up for a floor vote before the U. S. House of Representatives this week. Without this bill, there will be no change in the status quo: Lyme disease will continue to be grossly underfunded and patients will continue to have no voice in how our federal dollars are being spent.
“First of all this bill creates an advisory working group of 14, seven of which are private citizens including patients. patient advocacy groups, and physicians with experience treating Lyme disease etc. So for the first time Lyme patients and their doctors will have a seat at the table in regards to how our federal dollars are being spent
The bill directs the Secretary of HHS, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Majority Leader of the Senate to ensure “that the non-Federal public members of the Working Group represent a diversity of scientific perspectives.”
There are many other safeguards on the bill that protect the interests of Lyme patients, such that all reports must include a diversity of scientific opinions and include minority opinions. In addition the bill provides the basis for a national research agenda to address “chronic or persistent infection and co-infection.”
In addition the bill is covered in FACA rules, which provide for transparency. I am not sure if this means that all meetings will be open to the public or not. The bill does stipulate that an annual scientific conference will be open to the public.
Please help pass this Bill and help us.
I have had Lyme disease since l993, diagnosed in 2007. It is miserable and no help in sight for me. Have thought a lot about suicide but never quite got to that stage yet. There are a lot of people just like me around the country and some in worse shape than I. There is a real need for more research to be done and also attitudes need to be changed in the traditional medicine community. Please pass HR 4701!
Don’t let another person suffer needlessly! It took me 3 years of pain, brain issues, time away from my babies. My business sales fell 1/3…and bills piled up because this test is inaccurate. I used the igenx lab and I came back positive lyme.
Started abx and my brain fog went away in a short time. Now please find a cure for chronic lyme!
This has been a lyme household since the early 90’s. Please support the bill to provide
assistance in helping us become healthy at long last.
I’ve had Lyme and one co-infection for two years. If I had believed my local MD and Neurologist, I would never have sought treatment and further testing because they told me, “We don’t have Lyme up here” and “The western Blot test needs five positives”. Insurance companies should not dictate medical guidelines and ethics.
HHS has tracked spirochetes since Surgeon General Parran’s Tuskegee syphilis experiments of 1935-1975. HHS contracted Dr. Leo Alexander and Nazi war criminal Dr. Goerg Schaltenbrand to conduct the largest MS (and Lyme) survey in US history in 1950. The FDA and HHS is nothing but a medical gravy train usurping half all US tax money. HHS should be totally privatized.
The Progressives are seeking out any and every possible mascot for misery to promote the Public Option, opening the door to medical triage and euthanasia of the chronically ill, all under the alibi of compassion and fiscal expediency. I am not writing my congressmen to support this ridiculous, foolish bill and I advise everyone “heads up” and think this through. Instead, I suggest you request the Senate to pass the House Bill: The American Health Care Reform Act which reforms the health insurance industry.
I have suffered with lyme for the past 17 years. For awhile I thought I had been cured but no such luck. My lyme went dormant for 4 years and came back with a vengeance. By the time I had found out I had a relapse from lyme I could have been convinces I had a mental condition or end stage syphilis this is not a new story many of us are miss diagnosed. Doctor’s need awakening, nurses need teaching on they symptoms this bill needs to pass there are to many needless suicides from lyme disease people are giving up. We need answers!
Please don’t wait. The numbers tell you how bad and how fast this is becomming a disaster waiting to happen. The Ebola has had much quicker results. When identified cases grow in 10 fold numbers, what else has to happen before action is taken? Wait no longer, please don’t wait, and keep praying that it does not attack you or your loved ones. Mike
After a few years of unexplained illnesses. My son and I were diagnosed with Lyme and its co-infections in 2007. Neither of us had the the bulls eye rash and therefore were not treated immediately. Now we both have chronic lyme with nuerological involvement. This Disease is REAL! Please help pass HR 4701.
Please vote yes for this bill.
I am in my 50’s and have chronic lymes disease. I have battled with recovery for two years under medical treatment, much of which is self pay. I have lost my ability to earn the income I once did, and I have permanent short term memory loss. Please sign the Bill!!!
My daughter has Lyme disease as well as co-infections. She suffers so much pain, anxiety, and depression. She graduated top of her class, total “A” in college. She became ill at 21, no longer able to go to school, work, or much of anything. PLEASE PASS legislation. The next child could be your own child Congressman. HELP IS NEEDED NOW
All Lymies in Denmark cross their fingers for you.
LOL
Hi everyone I fell sorry for all of you and how badly you have suffered!!! This disease is an epidemic and the reason we are not getting any help is because the government officials we have today are not working for us them are working for the greedy corporations and and the greed they have for money to line their own pockets!!! I wish I could infect everyone of them with this disease and see what gets done then!!!! But unfornunately it still would’t help. Big Pharma and the insurance companies are controling what happens with this and anything else when it comes to healthcare!!!! We don’t have an answer to this because they have decided it doesn’t exist and put fear in to the doctor’s to not diagnose it and make believe it does not exist. Well this is kind of what happended with aids and now we are faced with something much worse!!!! There are so many ways to get this it is going to be pretty hard to avoid it!!!
It is now being transmitted by ticks which are getting stronger, spiders and other insects and yes it has been confirmed it is sexually transmitted!!!! Oh yes it is also being passed on at childbirth!!!!! It has spread to very state in the USA and some areas are worse than others, but it will continue to proliferate!!! The problem we have is very concerning!!! We have no cure and if you think antibiotics are a cure your dead wrong!!! They may take care of it if you are lucky enough to catch it early, that is not happening in approx. 70% of the cases. And people who have been treated with antibiotics early have had relapses!!! You can’t relie on antibiotics because they literally distroy your immune system and once you do that, you have no means to fight the disease!!! I would highly recommend for those of you who have been suffering to go to http://www.unsinc.info for a referral to a practitioner in your area!!! These practitioner’s are trained to work on your whole body and determine what it needs to get well!!! The are trained in Nutrition Response Testing which will find imbalances in your body and treat them so the body can heal itself!!!! Please call this school and they will help you find someone who cares and wants to help you!!! I have had Lymes for two years and I would not wish it on the Devil!!! It has been horrible with the effects on my nervous system!!!! I almost died twice and contimplated suicide several times because my mind was effected by the Lyme affecting my endocrine system!!! The doctor’s don’t know how to diagnose this. Many of you are feel ing so bad because you have an endocrine disruption, and it won’t show in a blood test!!! For those of you in Connecticut, where I live, you have another option of calling Dr. Stanley Kacherski, who is a board certified dentist, and acupunturist, has an MS in Nutrition and trained in homeopathy do deal with Lyme Disease. Look him up on the web and you can make an appt, but he is so busy it will take a while. This is the only way to get help that will work, but it will take time!!! I have been making progress, but still have my bad days especially whne the weather gets damp and the barometer is falling!! Lots of pain when this happens!!! So I know you want the bill to pass, but unfortunately it won’t change very much and you are still not going to get help from the insurance companies or the MD’s. I know what works and I am trained in this type of work and believe me it will save your life. And it is not very expensive!!!! These practitioners are reasonable and so are the supplements. I anyone would like to contact me send me an email at judireedy@gmail.com. Best wishes to all and hope to all for the future!!! Regards, Judi Reedy
This bill also creates an advisory committee that only advises/suggests things to the National Inst. of Health. 7 Dept. Heads and 7 from a pool of doctors, researchers, lyme advocate and lyme patients and lyme family members. so 14 in all. ONLY AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE….some language is pretty vague…
The “diversity” of public input you are trying to achieve in this bill under this gigantic disfunctional government bureaucracy at HHS is simply impossible. Humanity is biased, especially unelected government bureaucrats. You want your health to be determined by a pannel of 14 HHS bureaucrats? This is worse than Sarah Pallen’s Death Pannel of 15 in Medicare.
The cure for Lyme is not to be found by government, but the free market, where patients have free choice in health practitioners, pharmaceuticals, food, diet, lifestyles, insurance reform, expanded HSAs and price control. Doctors are leaving their practices in droves because of Obamacare. More government regulation and oversight will kill us, not cure us.
Please vote YES on the HR 4701 bill. I & many family members have been bit & or who have Lyme. There are many people in my neighborhood who have Lyme & there is a staggering amount of people that I run into accidentally who also have Lyme now. This is getting out of hand & we need to act as responsible citizens. It is inhumane to leave these people out to dry & to do nothing at all. This will only cost the tax payers BILLIONS of dollars down the road, as the new infections will eventually come to light & require medical care.
PLEASE VOTE YES & GOD BLESS THE USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!