Lyme Disease Association, Inc. - Senator Schumer Seeks Federal Monies For Lyme at Press Conference

Senator Schumer Seeks Federal Monies For Lyme at Press Conference
Lyme Disease Association Speaks & Supports Senator’s Plan

On August 12, US Senator Charles Schumer (NY) held a televised press conference in Dutchess County, New York, to promote a plan to help combat Lyme disease.

Senator Schumer is seeking an additional $10 million of funding from CDC and NIH, $3million and 7 million respectively. Senator Schumer is also urging the CDC to launch an awareness campaign to educate the public to the hazards of Lyme disease.

Additionally, the Senator is co-sponsoring S-1527, a bill which would form an advisory committee within Health & Human Services and would also provide Lyme disease funding over 5 years for targeted goals such as testing, review of surveillance criteria, and prevention. The Lyme Disease Association and Time for Lyme, its Connecticut affiliate, worked several years ago, along with other organizations, on the development of this bill which represented a compromise of several pieces of Lyme legislation previously introduced into Congress.

Others who spoke at the conference were Pat Smith, President, Lyme Disease Association; Jill Auerbach, chair, Hudson Valley Lyme Disease Association; Sarah Hale-Rude, Lyme patient; Dr Rick Osfeld, ecologist at the institute for Ecosystem Studies in Milbrook, New York; and Peter Idema, Supervisor, Town of East Fishkill.

The Lyme Disease Association and Hudson Valley LDA had met with Senator Schumer’s office in June to discuss Lyme disease issues.

At the press conference, Ms. Auerbach discussed the efforts of her group in working with Dutchess County to combat the disease. She also discussed her personal problems with Lyme disease. Ms. Smith gave an overview of the problem nationally, including how the disease is able to evade treatment and the immune system. She concluded with “The answers to this enigma lie in research….research requires a concrete monetary commitment commensurate with Lyme’s status as the most prevalent vector-borne disease….Remember, Lyme disease does not discriminate, nor does it confer immunity. It does not require any risky behavior beyond walking the dog, jogging, or playing in the backyard sandbox.”

The speakers thanked Senator Schumer for his efforts in the area of Lyme disease.

US Senator Charles Schumer (NY) Press Conference Friday, Sept. 10, 2004 Hart’s Brook Nature Preserve, Hartsdale, NY.
Along with the Senator who was promoting the need for monies to combat Lyme disease in the lower Hudson Valley, speakers were Pat Smith, President, Lyme Disease Association, Inc.; Jill Auerbach, chairperson, Hudson Valley Lyme Disease Association; David Weld, executive director, American Lyme Disease Foundation; Ruchana White, president, Rockland County Lyme Disease Support Group; Dr. Tom Daniels, associate research scientist, Louis Calder Center of Fordham University, in Armonk, NY; and Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. Suzanne Sugar, Mid-Westchester Lyme Disease Support Group and Barbara Goldklang from the Lyme Disease Coalition of NY/CT were also present to support the effort.