Nov. 27 Legislative Hearing on Lyme
Speaker List, Written Testimony, Thank You Notes, etc.

**Attendee feedback**

Hearing was a success!!!
Please see below

http://www.lymediseaseaudio.com/hearing.htm
Audio from hearing link expired

NOTE: Another Hearing, on OPMC reform, took place in NYC on January 31, 2002.

On November 27, 2001, hundreds of Lyme disease patients traveled to Albany, NY, to attend a New York State Assembly Health Committee hearing focusing on the issues surrounding chronic Lyme disease. Patients requested a proclamation from the Assembly that there is a legitimate scientific controversy with regards to Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases and that, therefore, the OPMC (Medical Licensing board for NY physicians) should not be taking sides.

Members of the health committee on the podium were Committee Chair Richard Gottfried, Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn, Assemblyman Joel Miller, Assemblywoman Maureen O'Connell, and Assemblyman Michael Cohen.

There will be a hearing on OPMC procedures in general in NYC on January 31, 2002. This hearing will be about OPMC procedures and is expected to consist of legal and technical material. A number of groups have been pushing for OPMC reform based on lack of due process.

Many thanks to the Assembly, speakers, attendees and planners!!!

THANK YOU NOTES:

Please send thank you notes to the legislators who attended the hearing and were very responsive to the information presented. They did a huge service to Lyme patients, and deserve a big huge thanks! Also, it would be helpful to request a resolution from the entire Assembly stating that there is considerable scientific controversy as to the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease, and that, therefore, the OPMC should not be targeting doctors who fall on one side of the controversy. Those legislators are as follows:

  • Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, Chair, Assembly Committee on Health, LOB 822 Albany, NY 12248
  • Assemblyman Michael Cohen, LOB 834, Albany, NY 12248
  • Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn, LOB 746, Albany, NY 12248
  • Assemblywoman Maureen O'Connell, LOB 326, Albany, NY 12248
  • Assemblyman Joel Miller, LOB 531, Albany, NY 12248
    HOWEVER, to send a thank you with a contribution to Joel Miller's campaign fund, please, instead, send to:
    *Committee to Re-elect Joel Miller*, 10 Walker Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 (and make checks out to the committee to re-elect joel miller) Everyone who went to the hearing knows how much he has earned our support!!

    WITNESS LIST:

    Patricia Smith- President, Lyme Disease Association
    Kenneth Liegner, MD- Physician, Associate Editor, Journal of Spirochetal and Tick-Borne Diseases
    Alan Muney MD- Chief Medical Officer, Oxford Health Plans
    Honorable Richard Blumenthal (Speaker phone)- Attorney General, State of CT
    Steven Phillips MD- Physican; President-elect, International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society
    Steven Schutzer MD- Asoc Prof of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
    Brian Fallon MD MPH MEd (Video tape)- Columbia University Dept. of Psychiatry
    Alan Barbour MD (Speaker-phone)- University of CA at Irvine
    Carolyn Briton MD (Video tape)- Neurologist, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital
    Marilynn Barkley MD, PhD- Researcher University of CA at Davis
    Eugene Shapiro MD (didn't speak)- Yale Professor of Pediatrics
    Carl Brenner- Columbia University, Member, Chronic Lyme Disease Study Committee of NIAID.
    Robert Bransfield MD- Lyme Alliance Inc, Professional Advisory Panel
    Jill Auerbach- Hudson Valley Committee for Lyme Disease Patient Advocacy
    Howard Hindin DDS- Foundation for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine
    Patients: Sarah Rude, Lia MaCabe, Joanna Amato
    Evan White, Robert Clydesdale, Norman Rosenthal

    TRANSCRIPT:

    They are working on how the transcript will be available. It is possible it will be available on the Assembly website, or on CD. Otherwise, people would need to get paper copies. But all this will take some time, and as of January 17 they do not know yet how it will be available.

    PARKING:

    If you reserved a parking spot and have not yet paid, please send a check for $8.00 ASAP, made out to the Lyme Disease Association and mail it to:
    The Lyme Disease Association
    Pat Smith
    PO Box 1438
    Jackson, NJ 08527
    888 366 6611

    MEDIA:

    http://www.insidealbany.com/index.html - Inside Albany, December 16, 2001
    "Is there chronic Lyme Disease?"
    http://www.insidealbany.com/order.html - To order video

  • Pre-event Press Release: pr.html
  • Pre-event Media Alert: mediaalert.html
  • Media Coverage:
    "Insurers criticized for denial of Lyme treatment coverage"
    "Group cites targeting of doctors who treat chronic Lyme disease"
    "Lyme Disease Hearing to Draw Activists"
    "State panel to focus on Lyme disease"
    "Task force talks tick control options"

    MATERIALS:

  • Flyer that was distributed is available at: hearingflyer.html
  • Single-page flyer, smaller font, is available at: hearingflyer2.html
  • The legislative notice is available at FAIM's website
  • The Grassroots announcement is available at: Lymenet's Flash Board (Link Expired)
  • History of OPMC Controvery: OPMC.html
  • Kay's website for the hearing: http://www.medialyme.com/OPMC%20hearing.htm

    WRITTEN TESTIMONY:

    All in the Lyme community are encouraged to submit written testimony. If you have prepared your testimony but have not yet sent it in, please send it in asap. Many thanks for everyone's hard work on this! Written testimony should be sent to:
    ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
    Richard N. Gottfried Chair
    Lara Kassel
    Legislative Associate
    Assembly Member Gottfried's office
    822 Legislative Office Building
    Albany, NY 12248
    518-455-4941
    Fax: 518-455-5939

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