S. 1352 would provide for the expansion of Federal efforts concerning the prevention, education, treatment, and research activities related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, including the establishment of a Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee.
Detailed Summary
Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee. Requires the Committee to advise the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Health regarding how officials can: (1) ensure interagency coordination and communication and minimize overlap regarding efforts to address tick-borne diseases; (2) identify opportunities to coordinate efforts with other federal agencies and private organizations addressing such diseases; (3) ensure interagency coordination and communication with constituency groups; (4) ensure that a broad spectrum of scientific viewpoints are represented in public heath policy decisions and that information disseminated to the public and physicians is balanced; and (5) advise relevant federal agencies on priorities related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.
Requires the Secretary, acting through the appropriate federal officials, to provide for the coordination of all federal programs and activities related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases and the conduct or support of specified activities, including: (1) developing sensitive and accurate diagnostic tools and tests, (2) improving the efficient utilization of diagnostic testing currently available; (3) surveillance and reporting of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases to accurately determine the prevalence of such diseases and to evaluate the feasibility of creating a national uniform reporting system; (4) providing and promoting access to a clearinghouse of information on such diseases; (5) increasing public education related to such diseases; (6) creating a physician education program; (7) establishing epidemiological research objectives to determine the long term course of illness for Lyme disease; and (8) determining the effectiveness of different treatment modalities by establishing treatment outcome objectives
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 6/25/2009: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
k. harvey
September 22, 2009, 8:28pm (report abuse)in 2010 an estimated 400,000+ people will become infected with lyme & tbds - the majority of which will be aged 5-14. anyone opposed to this bill is simply not informed about the costs, the recovery rate or the consequences of doing nothing about the startling numbers. do your own research visit the columbia university medical center website - or the lyme disease association's.
even the CDC admits that their statistics are only about 10% accurate. this bill is crucial - and by the way republicans don't taste better than democrats, rich, poor doctors, lawyers, blue collar workers and children will all be affected by this horrible disease(s).