100 signatures reached
To: NIH, HHS
Open Letter to NIH/HHS
In 2017, the HIV/AIDS researchers had an estimated $77,355.00 dedicated to them for the advancement of science for the 36,400 cases that year. However, Lyme disease researchers received $768.00 for the 42,743 confirmed cases of Lyme disease. There is gross mismanagement of funds being assessed to the researchers, as both diseases create an autoimmune deficiency that for most can’t be reversed. Lyme patients today suffer immensely and are currently marginalized by the medical community, like the HIV/AIDS patients once were. There are 6,343 more reported cases of Lyme than HIV/AIDS, but yet Lyme receives .99% of what HIV/AIDS receives yearly.
There is science going into deeper detail regarding the Lyme disease organisms that appear to be suppressed or disregarded. Beyond a chronic bacterial infection, there is research to support a viral aspect of Lyme Disease. The process of transduction is noted in the research paper titled “The Transduction of Borrelia Burgdorferi Bacteriophages.” Transduction (the transfer of DNA to DNA of another organism), is strictly a viral process. However, the scientific studies are there to prove the transduction occurs in E. coli, which lines the human intestines. The corruption of such bacteria could result in a chronic state of infection that would go unseen by current two-tier testing methods. The concept of Lyme originally being a virus or seen as one has been presented by the likes of Alan Steere and Alan Barbour. This is additionally supported by Dr. Alan MacDonald’s statement that he had found half-human/half borrelial molecules in Alzheimer’s brains, which tested positive for Lyme disease. This process occurs once again only by the viral “transduction” process. The fact that Borrelia Burgdorferi is found on the phylogenetic tree of Giant Viruses is also supportive of Lyme disease having a viral component. This would also explain the chronic state of unseen disease because the giant viruses would appear as small bacteria size under a microscope. However, the phages (viruses that infect bacteria) contained within would be the culprit and cause of the persistent infection. The giant viruses are known to create a symbiotic relationship between mutant phages and the host. This is additionally supported by the finding of multiple mutant phage sin cp26 and multiple cp32’s.
The disparity between the funding of HIV/AIDS and Lyme disease has led to independent researchers to take up the cause. The Lyme community has witnessed the sparse federal funds provided go to the same researches for years with little to show for it. It has taken time to even recognize the science behind the persistent bacterial infection, despite research, ignoring the potential of a viral aspect of chronic illness is just as egregious. These independent researchers deserve the opportunity to investigate things further with proper funding.
Conflicts of interest in the Tick-borne Disease Working Group is another serious issue that must be addressed. Eugene Shapiro, one of the most recent committee members stated an interview with Connecticut Magazine “If you google ‘chronic Lyme disease’ on the internet, there are 5 million hits. You can find out if your nose falls off, Lyme disease could do it,” Shapiro says. “Nobody’s that interested in a story that says ‘Lyme disease, no big deal.’ They’re much more interested in running a story, ‘this person’s life was ruined by Lyme disease.’ That sells.” And that “Most of the stories about [chronic] Lyme disease are people with chronic nonspecific symptoms who are suffering.” In an interview during the 2014 Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, he stated, “We need a new paradigm to how to best manage these patients… we need to figure out ways to try to reduce healthcare seeking behaviors.” He has been a medical record reviewer for law firms of malpractice lawsuits against physicians who have attempted to treat chronically ill Lyme patients. He also been called out multiple times for his financial conflicts of interests with insurance companies. There is a petition to have him removed from the panel but this has been ignored. We again demand that he be removed from the panel.
There is concern regarding NIH/HHS current push for a vaccine. How does one vaccinate against a recombinant organism? Furthermore, how do you ensure safety and efficacy of a vaccine when you do not have effective testing in place? Should a vaccine ever be in a position to successfully inhibit a recumbent organism, effective testing strategies would have to be in place prior, which there is none. There was a significant amount of conflict of interest with the initial vaccine produced and changing diagnostic criteria so that it could meet FDA approval. It calls into question if this will be allowed again. It is imperative that you investigate and address any conflicts of interest within your organization.
There is science going into deeper detail regarding the Lyme disease organisms that appear to be suppressed or disregarded. Beyond a chronic bacterial infection, there is research to support a viral aspect of Lyme Disease. The process of transduction is noted in the research paper titled “The Transduction of Borrelia Burgdorferi Bacteriophages.” Transduction (the transfer of DNA to DNA of another organism), is strictly a viral process. However, the scientific studies are there to prove the transduction occurs in E. coli, which lines the human intestines. The corruption of such bacteria could result in a chronic state of infection that would go unseen by current two-tier testing methods. The concept of Lyme originally being a virus or seen as one has been presented by the likes of Alan Steere and Alan Barbour. This is additionally supported by Dr. Alan MacDonald’s statement that he had found half-human/half borrelial molecules in Alzheimer’s brains, which tested positive for Lyme disease. This process occurs once again only by the viral “transduction” process. The fact that Borrelia Burgdorferi is found on the phylogenetic tree of Giant Viruses is also supportive of Lyme disease having a viral component. This would also explain the chronic state of unseen disease because the giant viruses would appear as small bacteria size under a microscope. However, the phages (viruses that infect bacteria) contained within would be the culprit and cause of the persistent infection. The giant viruses are known to create a symbiotic relationship between mutant phages and the host. This is additionally supported by the finding of multiple mutant phage sin cp26 and multiple cp32’s.
The disparity between the funding of HIV/AIDS and Lyme disease has led to independent researchers to take up the cause. The Lyme community has witnessed the sparse federal funds provided go to the same researches for years with little to show for it. It has taken time to even recognize the science behind the persistent bacterial infection, despite research, ignoring the potential of a viral aspect of chronic illness is just as egregious. These independent researchers deserve the opportunity to investigate things further with proper funding.
Conflicts of interest in the Tick-borne Disease Working Group is another serious issue that must be addressed. Eugene Shapiro, one of the most recent committee members stated an interview with Connecticut Magazine “If you google ‘chronic Lyme disease’ on the internet, there are 5 million hits. You can find out if your nose falls off, Lyme disease could do it,” Shapiro says. “Nobody’s that interested in a story that says ‘Lyme disease, no big deal.’ They’re much more interested in running a story, ‘this person’s life was ruined by Lyme disease.’ That sells.” And that “Most of the stories about [chronic] Lyme disease are people with chronic nonspecific symptoms who are suffering.” In an interview during the 2014 Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, he stated, “We need a new paradigm to how to best manage these patients… we need to figure out ways to try to reduce healthcare seeking behaviors.” He has been a medical record reviewer for law firms of malpractice lawsuits against physicians who have attempted to treat chronically ill Lyme patients. He also been called out multiple times for his financial conflicts of interests with insurance companies. There is a petition to have him removed from the panel but this has been ignored. We again demand that he be removed from the panel.
There is concern regarding NIH/HHS current push for a vaccine. How does one vaccinate against a recombinant organism? Furthermore, how do you ensure safety and efficacy of a vaccine when you do not have effective testing in place? Should a vaccine ever be in a position to successfully inhibit a recumbent organism, effective testing strategies would have to be in place prior, which there is none. There was a significant amount of conflict of interest with the initial vaccine produced and changing diagnostic criteria so that it could meet FDA approval. It calls into question if this will be allowed again. It is imperative that you investigate and address any conflicts of interest within your organization.
Why is this important?
The funding for Lyme disease is one of the lowest even though it is the fastest spreading Tick-Borne disease. Scientific research appears to be ignored or suppressed that could help patients, and conflicts of interest are present that can influence research, testing, and treatment. It is time that these things were addressed and for change to happen.