How Do Medical Doctors Breathe With Their Heads In The Sand?

I try to keep personal bitterness and skepticism out of my blog, and to stick to the facts. But when this news flash popped up recently I could hardly believe my eyes.

The following presentation was given by Dr. Benjamin Luft, Professor, and Chair (acting) Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook at the Copley Hotel in Boston Massachusetts, at the 9th Annual International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease & Other Tick-Borne Disorders in April of 1996 – Thirteen years ago! The following abstract was recently published on an internet medical forum called “Mombu” (http://mombu.com):
from Stony Brook.

Chronic Lyme Disease: An Evolving Syndrome
by
Benjamin J. Luft, M.D.

Lyme disease, initially described as an arthritic disease, has unfolded over the past 15 years as a multistage, multisymptom disease of great complexity and variability. Several key factors are involved in the development of Lyme disease; the spirochetal agent, the tick and the host.

The spirochete shows strain heterogeneity with at least three major genospecies: Borrelia burgdorferi, B. garinii and B. afzelii. Different genospecies appear to be associated with distinct clinical manifestations.

Multiple strains of B. burgdorferi can infect the same tick and human infection can include single or multiple spirochete strains. In the case of the ticks, environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and source of blood meal may alter the major outer surface proteins (Osp) of the spirochete within the tick vector. This can affect the spirochete infectivity.

Ticks can be co-infected with multiple organisms, including Babesia and Ehrlichia species. The immune response plays a definite role in the infectivity and athogenesis of B. burgdorferi. Osp A, a major outer surface protein with relative molecular mass of 31,000, stimulates B cells and cytokine production.

Humans with chronic arthritis are more likely to show an immune response to Osp A.

Chronic Lyme disease has become an increasing concern for health care providers. Retrospective studies confirm that a proportion of patients treated for Lyme disease experience prolonged post treatment problems. Persistent complaints are generally non-specific and include arthralgias, myalgias, cognitive difficulties, fatigue, malaise, dizziness, stiff neck and photophobia.

Chronic Lyme disease patients may be seropositive or seronegative with or without a documented history of Lyme disease. Since Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis, research must continue to improve diagnostic assays using recombinant proteins which are more sensitive and specific than the whole organism used for both ELISA and Western blots.

Possible biological markers of chronic Lyme disease, such as positive Borrelial antigen, Borrelial DNA and pleocytosis in the CSF or synovial fluid, need to be assessed and validated. Elimination of biological markers in combination with sensitive indices of neuropsychological symptoms will be useful for the evaluation of treatment modalities.”

~~~

One would think that after thirteen years of continuous and exhaustive research that medical doctors would accept the existence of chronic Lyme and work together to try to develop a cure, or at the very least, an effective vaccine or foolproof diagnostic test.

Instead, hours of egocentric arguments given by infectious disease “leaders” compete for study research dollars to try and prove their position – selecting trial candidates for their likelihood of swaying study results instead of the medical scientists who are actually unlocking the mystery surrounding the bacteria and trying new tests with open minds to find help for the growing horde of suffering victims.

It is one thing to lump a couple hundred of sufferers into a group of psychosomatic patients…but how do medical doctors respond to the hundreds of thousands of Lyme sufferers from all 50 states who are becoming more ill and increasingly fragile?

It is time for medical doctors to take their heads out of the sand and re-commit their allegiance to the Hippocratic Oath:

Original, translated into English:

I swear by Apollo, the healer, Asclepius, Hygieia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement:

To consider dear to me, as my parents, him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and, if necessary, to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art.

I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.

I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art.

In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves.

All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal.

If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot.

Recently, also from Mombu.com, this essay landed on my list of articles about Lyme disease. I welcome your responses on this attack regarding the existence or non-existence of chronic Lyme disease:

The fact that Lyme disease is usually curable has not discouraged the formation of over a hundred support groups and nonprofit foundations, some with financial backing from intravenous services hoping to promote further long-term antibiotic therapies.

These groups and their ardent followers have used the Internet and other media to barrage politicians and the general public with misinformation, dire personal stories, rumors, and exaggerated claims about thousands of people being maimed, killed and bankrupted each year by Lyme disease.

The core message is that Lyme is a deadly chronic disease that requires long-term antibiotic therapy paid for by insurance companies. Despite its alleged frequency, NIH-funded clinical trials in Boston and Bethesda were hampered by a lack of patients who met science-based criteria for chronic Lyme disease.

A third trial underway at Columbia University has had to modify its patient entry criteria in order to find enough patients to carry out the study.

Support groups and individual patients have created many Web sites that contain unsubstantiated assertions, inaccurate medical information, and personal testimonies for the dubious treatments described above. Indeed, the Internet has provided a powerful mechanism for organizing patients and presenting poorly documented information to the public and the press.

Internet newsgroups have posted wild criticisms of physicians and researchers who disagree with their claims and concerns. Research reports that run counter to the claims of Lyme activists are denounced and their authors accused of incompetence and financial conflicts of interest.

Magazines and news organizations whose stories on Lyme disease are not sufficiently hysterical are barraged with e-mail complaints and urged to contact certain organizations for “the truth.” Protests have been organized to denounce Yale University’s research meetings and Lyme clinic because, according to the protesters, Yale “ridicules people with Lyme disease, presents misleading information, minimizes the severity of the illness, endorses inadequate, outdated treatment protocols, excludes opposing viewpoints, and ignores conflicts of interest.”

Researchers have been harassed, threatened, and stalked. A petition circulated on the Web called for changes in the way the disease is routinely treated and the way insurance companies cover those treatments. Less radical groups have had their
meetings invaded and disrupted by militant Lyme protesters.

Some Lyme organizations have tried to raise funds for their own research on hyperbaric oxygen treatments, pregnancy-related Lyme, and a clinical trial of chronic Lyme patients. Others have organized “scientific” meetings that include anecdotal reports by physicians friendly to their cause, and one group has launched a journal that reflects its leaders’ beliefs.

…The Lyme Alliance later circulated a petition stating that, “Lyme disease can and does exist as a chronic illness with persisting infection, and that the disease is greatly underdiagnosed and undertreated.” The petition demanded that, “Physicians who are on the front lines of Lyme disease patient care not be harassed, persecuted or made to fear for their medical practices because they do not adhere to the conservative “short term” care for Lyme disease.”

So, the battle continues to rage, benefiting the large egos of certain doctors and hampering help for those who are ill. It will be a happy day when medical doctors catch up with scientific doctors to: “… prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.”

I continue to hope and pray that those who suffer as I do find medical doctors who take their oath seriously.

Jenna’s Lyme Blog

How Do Medical Doctors Breathe With Their Heads In The Sand?

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