"Astute Clinician" (Steere) to lecture at NIH - 3 Nov 1999
Art Doherty
"Astute Clinician" (Steere) to lecture at NIH - 3 Nov 1999
http://www1.od.nih.gov/wals/schedule.htm
Rita Stanley
>
>Every time I see the words, "Astute Clinician" linked w/A. Steere, it justs
>makes me laugh...out loud.
>
But he and his cronies have the last laughs if we continue to let him go
unchallenged at these symposia.
Rita
LymeFightr
But he and his cronies have the last laughs if we continue to let him go
unchallenged at these symposia.
Rita
So Rita, do you think us regular NON doctors but big time Lyme patients could
stop in and listen to see what he is actually
saying about our disease? I'm game to
crash this place.
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/lyme-links.html
http://www.jersey.net/~joebur/emblaze.htm
http://www.lyme.org ~ http://www.lymenet.org
http://www.lymealliance.org ~ http://www.Lymetruth.org/
http://www.imom.org/associates.htm
mike...@my-deja.com
According to mm pocket edition Webster's Concise English Dictionary,
Astute means cleaver/wise. We know how clever he is, but I question
the wise part.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
LutzDM
>follow his published recommendations
That's for sure..he was quoted in the NY Times,I think it was...that he didn't
need to have the vaccine injections because he lives in Boston and doesn't go
out of the lab much.....so he is at low risk for Lyme...What a laugh that is
when the primary researcher won't go for the vaccine.
Donna L.
Rita Stanley
>So Rita, do you think us regular NON doctors but big time Lyme patients
could
>stop in and listen to see what he is actually
>saying about our disease? I'm game to
>crash this place.
There is a lot you can do. I will help any who wish to not let the silence
continue.
You are living the results of the man's dogma. If you have had any
difficulty getting competent help, have lost a doctor through harrassment
(remember this guy testified in court against Dr. Joe Natole to set him up
as an example as to what can happen to a doc if he does not conform to
conservative ways), care about the current doctor harrassment, have been
denied help, insurance coverage, have had an adverse vaccine reaction (Al
was primary researcher in Lymerix trials), etc. then you have every reason
to publically state your feelings about this man and his legions of cronies.
Nothing is going to change with just having one symposium of our guys here
and their guys there. No confrontation, no change. By ignoring the problem
or just talking about it, will accomplish nothing. If you feel secure
because you have a doctor now, then how long might you have him if Dr.
Burrascano and the others are trampled by the present harrassment. I lost my
doctor and I know what it is like, and I know the ramifications.
If you do not engage in the fight, you lose it. Think of all we have lost
so far. The CDC postion statement is now set up to be used against doctors
who do not follow the conservative guidelines. And it will be used.
And "research" (the little that is unbiased) is not going to save the day
anytime soon. I have heard that one a little too long.
Enough of my rant. The people and the doctors who disagree with the
conservative philosophies have to stop the public silence; have to confront
and question, have to show how they are the results of the conservative
dominant thought.
Rita
Milo7
have to stop the public silence; have to confront and question, have to show
how they are the results of the conservative
--the so-called exchange of "scientific thinking" that goes on in
invitation-only, closed-door meetings--you know, the kind that the ALDF
sponsored in NY in 1994? The kind that are chaired by the usual LD village
idiots (Iike Sigal et al). Really no need to name names.
FWIW, here is a quick look at what was SO important and controversial, that it
just HAD to be presented behind closed-doors. Keep in mind that this is vintage
1994 mumbo-jumb (from a "National Clinical Conference on Lyme Disease"--How can
it be "National" if it's held by invitation-only and not open to the
public???"):
Abstract: Anxiety Related to Lyme Disease and Its Persistence
Leonard H. Sigal, MD
The protean clinical features of Lyme disease and the confusion about proper
use of diagnostic testing have led to considerable anxiety. Much of this
concern focuses on the persistence of symptoms, causing fear that the infection
does not respond to antibiotic therapy; this, in turn, has led to the use of
untested regimens, resulting in significant debility and toxicity. Initial
misdiagnosis of Lyme disease is probably the major cause of persisting symptoms
that do not respond to antibiotic therapy. An understanding of the natural
history of Lyme disease and of possible causes for persisting symptoms--other
than active infection--is needed for optimal care. Most symptoms that persist
after appropriate therapy can be explained by a small number of pathogenetic
mechanisms, only one of which is ongoing active infection. Individualization
of care and reanalysis of patients' problems are crucial if overdiagnosis and
overtreatment of Lyme disease are to be avoided.
And...
An excerpt from an abstract by Eugene Shapiro, MD, "Lyme Disease in Children":
"Virtuallly all children will respond well to treatment for any stage of Lyme
disease. Misdiagnosis is the most common reason for treatment failure.
Long-term follow-up studies indicate that the prognosis for pediatric patiens
with Lyme disease is excellent."
Excellent, eh?
Later,
milo
Rita Stanley
Milo7 wrote in message <19991021133234...@ng-bh1.aol.com>...
>
>--the so-called exchange of "scientific thinking" that goes on in
>invitation-only, closed-door meetings--you know, the kind that the ALDF
>sponsored in NY in 1994? The kind that are chaired by the usual LD village
>idiots (Iike Sigal et al). Really no need to name names.
>
So they have a "closed-door". We can't think of a way in? We can't
demonstrate outside? We can't bring the press and have a list of questions
that these yahoos ought to answer? We can't show the public what the
conservative treatment did to some of us when we only got 4 weeks of
treatment and then was proclaimed cured? Or what they did to your child or
whole family? Or that they say you have Postlyme, or that you never had Lyme
to begin with - go rot? But then you got help and you are better, but they
got you into this chronic mess?
Of course you can think of things to do. And do is the operative. You don't
have to have letters after your name - you have experience. These yahoos
don't listen and don't care to change. And they will not change until they
are somehow forced to. They will not listen nicely to some logical arguments
ever, and decide to change. They need some major boots to the behind and
then some.
We are the patients - they have to answer to us and to why they are
monopolizing the whole enchalada using dirty tricks to boot.
Rita
gail wykle
Sloop...@webtv.net
begin to arrange rallies and protests outside of the places where these
so-called "astute assholes" are speaking and notify the media of our
intent we will never progress in this issue. AIDS patients had to do it
and we have to do it too! And we can't hide behind the excuse that we
are too ill to do this. If we can crawl through our days for our
families and jobs we can damn well crawl through a day of protests for
our very lives!
If we don't begin to protest, it won't be long before we don't have our
families, our jobs, our DOCTORS and our LIVES! No bill in congress is
going to save our asses. We have to save them ourselves! And we need
more than one or two people willing to try. You know that well-worn
expression "It takes a village......" well, yeah it does....."it takes
a whole damn LYME village..." and that includes the LDF. Where are
THEY in their protest of this "astute clinician" speaking??????
Let me know when the buses leave.....cos' that's what its going to take!
Debi
Tinknocer
>Let me know when the buses leave.....cos' that's what its going to take!
>
>Debi
I'd like a window seat please.
Craig
MHHirsch
Here is the information that can help you.
It is not a closed door event. Please contact Mrs. Madine as noted below.
Ann
From the NIH website:
<<The Wednesday Afternoon Lectures
1999-2000
The National Institutes of Health
Office of the Director
All Lectures are in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10, at 3:00 p.m.(exceptions
are marked with an * below). The lectures may be accessed from personal
computers via NIH's MBONE and are available on videotape at the NIH
Library, Bldg. 10, approximately one week after the lecture date.
Following the lectures are informal receptions featuring poster displays
by winners of the Fellows Awards for Research Excellence (FARE). For
further information or special accomodations, please contact: Ms. Hilda
Madine. [hm...@nih.gov]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 3
NIH Director's Astute Clinician Lecture
Allen Steere, Jr., Ph.D.
Natalie V and Milton O Zuckerman Professor of Immunology,
Tufts Univ. School of Medicine
THE ELUCIDATION OF LYME ARTHRITIS
Hosted by the Clinical Center, and Office of the Director, OD>>
Barbara Fitzmaurice
Make sure to go to this site to see a picture of The Astute Physician. I
think a few e-mails to the NIH maybe couldn't hurt? Especially for those of
us who cannot make the lecture. Make sure to go to the site that Art
originally put up about the lectures at the NIH. Looks like some of the
funding for these lectures are from endowments? But I wonder if there is a %
of taxpayers money that is used??
Barb - MI
dpo...@sky.net
> Of course you can think of things to do. And do is the operative. You don't
> have to have letters after your name - you have experience. These yahoos
> don't listen and don't care to change. And they will not change until they
> are somehow forced to. They will not listen nicely to some logical arguments
> ever, and decide to change. They need some major boots to the behind and
> then some.
I think a good example is the CFIDS community. I don't know if anyone here
attended the recent CDC meeting for CFS Patient Advocates, but I read a good
account of what transpired from one attendee. I am given permission
to repost the work after it is published for the folks that sent her.
But for now I can post some facts related to it.
There is a new director at the CDC - Dr. Jeffrey Koplan
He and others are reportedly taking responsibility for past errors
with funds and lack of research basically, with regards to CFS.
Some promises were handed out in a booklet...they included
but weren't limited to apologies and accountabilities to Congress,
major revisions to budget and budget handling, internal reviews,
training of staff and...
** "Reinvigoration of CDC's efforts to better understand CFS by
establishing a long-term research and program agenda with in-depth advice
from the research and advocacy community." **
Now this was accomplished in large part by patient action and
"major boots in the behind". There is of course a long way to
go, but anyone familiar with the basic history of CFS and how it has
been regarded in the scientific and medical community, it is amazing
the progress that has been achieved. (Not just related to these changes)
Some other things, the CDC reappointed CFS studies to the Viral Exanthems
and Herpesvirus Branch of the Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases
which will be under the direction of Dr. Reeves
The objectives and activities can be found at:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/branch/vehb.htm
The Major program areas are: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Human
Papillomavirus Infection and Disease, Herpesviruses, Poxviruses
Had more to say, but had to stop last night at the above and I'm
not so advocational without more coffee.
Anyway yes, action is important. I am of the maybe minority view that
it doesn't always have to be confrontational, at least with some people.
I think the Lyme community can need a boot in the behind too, when split
up, bickering, not working together etc. we are highly ineffective.
But then also sick, which it would greatly help to get more well people
involved. The well people that are involved are often overloaded or
if it is a doctor, some are attacked...legally. This really needs to change.
Donna
MHHirsch
<<For information and accommodations for the lecture, contact Hilda Madine
at (301) 594-5595.>>
LymeFightr
From: Sloop...@webtv.net
Debi,
Rita has been trying to get people to rally for the two years that I've been
here
on this NG. I too think this is the ONLY WAY to be seen & heard.
I will be there to meet the one man who
started the ball rolling into the mess we
all live in today. The one who sold us out
and paved the way for the others to
do so.
I want to see him FACE TO FACE just like I did with SIGAL THE WEASEL. I
couldn't do anything about the SLYME Sigal since we were in a court room but I
can do something about this.
I used to read a CFID list and *somehow*
as sick as those people were ... they
managed to get to Washington in wheel
chairs (they can be rented) annually.
Are they any less sick then us?
Or like you said, get a friend or family
member to show up on your behalf.
Well, will see how many people actually
show up or send someone to speak for
them.
Unless we show up in numbers we continue to ALLOW them to do this do
us.
*******************************************
Let me know when the buses leave.....cos' that's what its going to take!
Rita Stanley
time changes things,
but you actually have to
change them yourself."
- Andy Warhol
be...@my-deja.com
received (accidentally or as a warning??) the following email
apparently unintended for me. Personally, I can't make it to DC on the
3rd, but as long as they're anticipating an angry crowd, I hope there
is one there that day to surpass their wildest imaginations:
The following is in reverse order:
Thanks for the alert. I don't anticipate a problem with this lecture
but I will cc Dr. Gottesman to see if he thinks there may be a problem.
-----Original Message-----
From: Elisabeth Feldman [mailto:els...@pacbell.net]
Sent: Friday, October 22, 1999 3:38 PM
To: John Gallin
Subject: Dr. Allen Steere
Importance: High
Dr. Gallin,
I have not responded to Elizabeth Feldman's email sent
this afternoon, and you are the only one I've forwarded
it to.
Maybe I'm overreacting, but should security be alerted
on Nov. 3, just in case. . .? If there's anything you want
me to do, please let me know.
Hilda
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I am writing to object to the NIH sponsored lecture that Dr. Allen
Steere will be presenting on Lyme arthritis. Dr. Steere, over the last
years, has taken a position that has caused inestimable suffering to
thousands of Lyme patients. He has clearly overlooked a great, great
deal of research that indicates that Lyme disease is frequently not
cured after short term antibiotic treatment.
The Lyme spirochete frequently goes into a dormant state to resurface
months to years later causing the symptoms to reappear and often
progress. The majority of research on this issue indicates, as well,
that while antibiotic treatment often fails to cure these late Lyme
sufferers, it CLEARLY brings relief and sometimes years of remission
from this horribly debilitating disease. And, occasionally, long term
doses of antibiotics do seem to cure some. Dr. Steere strongly
advocates against the the use of long term antibiotics.
Dr. Steere's criminal arrogance has influenced insurance companies and
the CDC to create treatment guidelines that I'm sure, in the not too
distant future, will seem barbaric. As a result, there seem to be
thousands of doctors that a) don't want to treat the disease because of
the controversy or b) treat it, but won't report to the CDC because of
their treatments don't match the guidelines - therefore Lyme disease
goes underreported and many Lyme sufferers go untreated, especially in
non-urban areas where there are fewer doctors.
I don't expect this email to convince anyone at NIH that it is not a
good idea to have this man educate your researchers on Lyme disease.
But I hope that someone will, at least, look seriously into this
controversy and READ THE RESEARCH, a great majority of which completely
contradicts Dr. Steere's thinking. Every major Lyme organization in the
country strongly objects to his position.
I certainly hope that taxpayer money is not being used to pay for such
a lecture. I plan to contact my representatives about this matter.
Very sincerely,
Elisabeth Feldman
San Francisco
StopSteere
I sent a note to the organizers of the lecture as you'll see below and received
accidentally or as a warning??) the following email apparently unintended for
me. Personally, I can't make it to DC on the 3rd, but as long as they're
anticipating an angry crowd, I hope there is one there that day to surpass
their wildest maginations:
I read the note and it didn't seem threatening at all. Maybe they're afraid
someone might try to embarrass
the poor doctor? Gee, wouldn't that be terrible?
I believe this little event on November 3rd is going to take place in Bethesda,
MD, rather then in DC, is that correct?
Of course it would be nice to be organized, but since there isn't much time for
that, I believe it would be better to just show up rather then not. By not
showing up we're collectively giving permission for him to be the reigning king
of Lyme in the medical community.
Maybe if the institutions had to worry about the "Lyme Cult" people showing up
every time he is scheduled to speak, much less be honored, maybe his popularity
would diminish and they would slow down inviting him.
If we continued to disrupt his life by showing up, wouldn't it seem evident to
someone out there in the medical community that there just might be something
to all these people being angry at Steere?
I would hope that of all the people who post to this forum would at have at
least one family member or dear friend who would come in their place if they
asked.
Then of course all the people in remission at this time could go and stand in
for those who are unable to travel this time.
If anyone can get there to MD to show our disapproval of what he has done to
our lives, please let me know privately so we can come up with some plan to
meet there and what our signs should say.
We can also let Rita Stanley handle the press releases for us. He has gotten
away with murder, I mean slow death, and then of course there are the people
who we know have committed suicide over this illness, long enough.
Anyone ready to take a stand to STOP STEERE?
rjamesmartin
Hope there is a big protest turnout.
To: J.R. Labbe
jrl...@star-telegram.com
I’d like to thank you for at least considering my
response to Tom Hall's "Where was Granger" for
publication.
As you have probably discerned from my web site
(http://www.angelfire.com/biz/romarkaraoke/james.html),
there is controversy in the Lyme disease community
about treatment protocols.
One of the most recent controversies within the Lyme
victim community is the announced honoring of Dr.
Allen Steere at The NIH Director's Second Astute
Clinician Lecture -- November 3, 1999, 3 p.m. Masur
Auditorium, NIH Clinical Center
(http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/lecture/astute.html).
The current vernacular now being used on Lyme-Aid
(onelist.com) and sci.med.diseases.lyme
(Deja.com) is Bum Steere (Dr. Steere), and Ah, Stupid
(Astute).
One of the Lyme-Aid participants (Elisabeth Feldman –
Item 1, below), sent an e-mail to NIH essentially
saying that as a Lyme disease victim, she objected to
Dr. Steere doing a presentation at NIH, and citing
reasons.
She then posted the response(s) received from NIH
(Item 2, below).
Why would her message generate a question about
security alerts? Maybe because paranoids have long
memories? See Item 3 below, from 1996, and Item 4
below, from 1995.
Thought you might get a chuckle, or maybe even an
article from it.
If you go the article route, an excellent collection
of web links on just about everything concerning Lyme
disease can be found at
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/lyme-links.html.
It contains over 4,100 categorized about Lyme disease.
Again, thank you for considering my response for
publication.
R. James Martin
501 Sycamore Lane, #327
Euless, TX 76039
817.540.2272
rjames...@yahoo.com
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/romarkaraoke/james.html
James Martin’s Lyme Disease Horror Story – How Lyme
Disease And Exploitation of ERISA Laws Can Ruin A
Life.
========================================================================
========
(Item 1)----- Original Message -----
From: Elisabeth Feldman
To: hm...@nih.gov
Sent: Friday, October 22, 1999 8:57 AM
Subject: Dr. Allen Steere
Very sincerely,
Elisabeth Feldman
San Francisco
========================================================================
========
(Item 2)
If this isn't just too weird. The following came from
NIH (in error? to scare?) back to me in response to my
email about Steere. Did my note come off as
potentially violent? I don't think so. What do you
make of this? Wow, my first little attempt at activism
and they're alerting security at NIH!
Elisabeth
----- Original Message -----
From: Gallin, John (CC/OD)
To: 'Elisabeth Feldman'
Cc: Gottesman, Michael M (OD (O); NCI (LAB))
Sent: Friday, October 22, 1999 2:26 PM
Subject: RE: Dr. Allen Steere
Thanks for the alert. I don't anticipate a problem
with this lecture but I will cc Dr. Gottesman to see
if he thinks there may be a problem.
-----Original Message-----
From: Elisabeth Feldman [mailto:els...@pacbell.net]
Sent: Friday, October 22, 1999 3:38 PM
To: John Gallin
Subject: Dr. Allen Steere
Importance: High
Dr. Gallin,
I have not responded to Elizabeth Feldman's email sent
this afternoon, and you are the only one I've
forwarded it to.
Maybe I'm overreacting, but should security be alerted
on Nov. 3, just in case. . .?
If there's anything you want me to do, please let me
know.
Hilda
========================================================================
========
(Item 3)
November 7, 1996
For more info, call :(503) 292-5271
LYME ACTIVISTS PROTEST MONOPOLY AT CONFERENCE ON
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Seattle, WA -- Five women, members of NW Lyme Disease
Support Network, protested the monopoly on treatment
for Lyme Disease. The protesters crashed a conference
to rebut claims made by a Dr. Allen Steere, the
powerful advocate of severe restrictions on medical
treatment for the disease.
Hospital administrators ejected, with the help of
security guards,four of the women who were quietly
passing out a scientific rebuttal to a paper by
Steere, case histories documenting the benefits of
longer more aggressive treatment and a sheet with ten
questions for Steere. The hospital claimed the
literature had not been approved.
Dr. Steere was speaking at Swedish Hospitals 4th
Annual Infectious Disease Symposium: Emerging
Infections.
Calls from Lyme activists across the country jammed
the switchboard at the Seattle hospital in support of
the protesters.
Lyme Disease infects a hundred thousand people every
year. Without adequate treatment, it can become
chronic and disabling. Treatment of the tick borne
disease has been severely restricted by Steere who
wrote the treatment protocol limiting people with Lyme
disease to four weeks of antibiotics.
Dr. Steere holds a twenty year monopoly on treatment
and research. Doctors,like Dr. Joseph Natole of
Saganaw, Michigan, who have disagreed with Steere's
treatment protocol have risked their medical careers.
Many patients and their doctors have been forced to go
underground for treatment.
According to the protest organizer, Rita Stanley,
"These academically spawned views are hotly challenged
by many front line clinicians and thousands of
chronically ill patients who contend that the
academically wrought guidelines for diagnosis and care
are obsolete, biologically unfounded and ethically
suspect."
========================================================================
========
(Item 4)
I. LYMENET: Interpret Steere's Comments With Great
Caution
-------------------------------------------------------------
Sender: Peter McFadden
I am writing this contribution to the LymeNet
Newsletter in response to the recent 10/13/95 Science
article [1] reporting the National Institutes' of
Health (NIH) plans to study the possible existence of
chronic Lyme disease. The main focus of the article
was the controversy between patient advocacy groups
and treating physicians on one side, and university
based researchers (who frequently dispute the
existence of chronic Lyme disease) on the other. The
article reported that the patient groups' tactics to
encourage the study of chronic Lyme disease "have
angered research leaders such as Allen Steere of Tufts
University." Is patient inspired research really so
bad? What if this is an important research area
university based physicians have chosen not to study?
Dr. Steere has been one of the most outspoken critics
of the existence of chronic Lyme disease [2], and one
of the most outspoken proponents of the success of
modest (10 - 30 day) courses of antibiotics [2]. In a
1993 paper [3], Dr. Steere writes that in Lyme disease
"Standard antibiotic treatment probably fails less
often than one might think. Most apparent treatment
failures actually reflect misdiagnosis."
However evidence is mounting that the Lyme disease
spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, can persist in some
patients despite antibiotic therapy. The spirochete
has been isolated from the skin [4,5], spinal fluid
[5,6], synovial fluid [7], blood [8], ligamentious
tissue [9], muscle tissue [39] and iris tissue [10] of
patients after antibiotic therapy, including
intravenous (IV) and/or long courses of supposedly
curative antibiotics. In one large European study of
late Lyme disease treatment [11], 2 weeks of IV
Rocephin resulted in a cure rate of 31% (4 of 13
patients). When 2 weeks of IV Rocephin were followed
with 100 days of oral antibiotics, the cure rate went
up to 87% (69 of 79 patients).
A second European study of Lyme disease [12] showed a
50% cure rate with 3 weeks of antibiotics, and a 78%
cure rate with 8 weeks of antibiotics.
Perhaps examining some of Dr. Steere's earlier beliefs
can add insight to his belief that chronic Lyme
disease is extremely rare or does not exist. It may
surprise some to learn that in the first few years he
was associated with Lyme disease, Dr. Steere believed
antibiotics were ineffective. In a 1977 Lyme disease
paper [13], Dr. Steere and his colleagues state "We
remain skeptical that antibiotic therapy helps." In a
1978 paper [14], Dr. Steere and his colleagues wrote
"To sum up the therapy of Lyme arthritis (Lyme
disease), it appears that at this point only
symptomatic treatment is feasible." In a 1979 paper
[15] on the neurological abnormalities of Lyme
disease, Dr. Steere and his colleagues reported that
they "have noted no benefit from antibiotic
treatment."
In an article in The New Yorker [16], a physician from
Shelter Island, New York, who was treating Lyme
disease with antibiotics as early as 1976, stated
that"When Steere assured me that the disease was
self-limiting, I stopped using antibiotics."
Dr. Steere's early beliefs about antibiotics are
surprising, considering the literature that existed at
the time. A literature search revealed 18 papers
[18-35] reporting the efficacy of antibiotics in
treating Lyme disease (then called ECM disease) before
1979. Only one paper could be found (besides Dr.
Steere's) that reported no benefit [36]. In fact in
all 4 case report papers [20-23] on Lyme disease (ECM
disease) where the patient(s) acquired the disease in
the United States, published before Dr. Steere's first
Lyme disease paper [37], all patients received
antibiotics.
It is ironic that Dr. Steere, currently an outspoken
proponent of the near universal efficacy of 10 - 30
days of antibiotics in the treatment of Lyme disease,
was, with his colleagues, one of the lone voices in
the late 1970's insisting that antibiotics did not
help.
Dr. Steere apparently turned his beliefs into action,
or inaction as the case may be. In a 1987 paper [17]
co-authored with Dr. Robert T. Schoen, Dr. Steere
reported: "To determine the clinical evolution of Lyme
arthritis, 55 patients who did not receive antibiotic
therapy for erythema chronicum migrans (ECM, the rash)
were followed longitudinally for a mean duration of 6
years [up until 1981]." This paper goes on to describe
the ailments of many of these unfortunate individuals,
including frank arthritis, chronic synovitis, joint
erosions, and permanent joint disability.
Dr. Steere eventually conducted his own studies of
antibiotics, and discovered what many physicians
already knew; antibiotics frequently worked. In a 1985
paper [38] describing the efficacy of antibiotics in
treating arthritic manifestations of Lyme disease,
Steere wrote that in the period 1980-1982, "We found
that neurological abnormalities of Lyme disease
responded to high dose intravenous penicillin."In a
1958 paper [28], 58 of 65 patients responded to
treatment with penicillin. One wonders why Dr. Steere
had to reinvent the wheel considering the 18 prior
papers spanning 3 decades, from both the US [18-24],
and Europe [25-35], describing the efficacy of
antibiotics in treating this illness. These studies
report exactly what Dr. Steere later found [38];
though not universally effective, most patients
treated with penicillin fared much better.
It is interesting that the only controlled studies
[11,12] of longer term antibiotics in helping to
prevent chronic or relapsing Lyme disease (both
successful) were performed in Europe. But then Dr.
Steere himself stated [1] that the proposed NIH study
of chronic Lymedisease "would never have been funded"
through the "normal mechanisms" of
investigator-initiated research. Unfortunately, I'm
afraid I agree with Dr. Steere on this point.
Dr. Steere's early insistence that antibiotics played
no role in the treatment of Lyme disease indicates
that his current statements and beliefs should be
interpreted with great caution.
Peter McFadden, M.S.
4611 Governor's Drive
Apartment 1001
Huntsville, AL 35805
(205) 722-0474
References:
-----------
[1] Marshall, E: Science 270, 228 (1995)
[2] Steere AC et al: "The Overdiagnosis of Lyme
Disease" JAMA 269, 1812 (1993)
[3] Steere AC: Hospital Practice, pg 37 (April, 1993)
[4] Hassler D et al: The Lancet 338, 193 (1991)
[5] Preac-Mursic V et al: Infection 17, 355 (1989)
[6] Pfister H et al: The J of Infectious Disease 163,
311 (1991)
[7] Schmidli J., et al; Cultivation of B. burgdorferi
from Joint Fluid Three Months After Treatment of
Facial Palsey Due to Lyme Borreliosis; J. of
Infectious Disease 158: 4, pg 905-906 (1988)
[8] Masters E et al: "Spirochetemia Two Weeks post
cessation of six months of continuous p.o. Amoxicillin
Therapy" (Abstr. 65, Fifth Int'l Conf on Lyme
Borreliosis, Arlington, VA; 1992)
[9] Haupl T et al: Arthritis & Rheumatism 36, 1621
(1993)
[10] Preac-Mursic V et al: J of Neuroloophthalmology
13, 155 (1993)
[11] Wahlberg P et al: J of Infection 29, 255 (1994)
[12] Bojic I et al: Glas Srp Akad Nauka 43
(Yugoslavia), 257 (1993)
[13] Steere AC et al: Annals of Internal Medicine 86,
685 (1977)
[14] Steere AC et al: Hospital Practice, 143 (April,
1978)
[15] Reik L, Steere AC et al: Medicine 58, 281 (1979)
[16] Roueche B: The New Yorker, 83 (Sept. 12, 1988)
[17] Steere AC et al: Annals of Internal Medicine 107,
725 (1987)
[18] Hellerstrom S: Erythema chronicum migrans
afzelius with meningitis. Southern Med J 43:330, 1950.
[19] Flanagan BP: Erythema chronicum migrans Afzelius
in Americans. Arch Dermatol 86:410-411, 1962.
[20] Scrimenti RJ: Erythema chronicum migrans. Arch
Dermatol 102:104-105, 1970.
[21] Mast WE, Burrows WM Jr: Erythema chronicum
migrans in the United States: JAMA 236:859-860, 1976.
[22] Wagner L, Susens G, Heiss L, et al: Erythema
chronicum migrans: a possibly infectious disease
imported from Northern Europe. West J Med 124:503-505,
1976.
[23] Smith RL et al: Cutis 17, 962 (1976)
[24] Naversen DN, et al; Erythema Chronicum Migrans in
America; Archives of Dermatology 114, pg 253-254
(1978)
[25] Lennhoff C: Spirochaetes in aetiologically
obscure diseases. Aca Derm Venereol (Stockh)
28:295-324, 1948.
[26] Hollstrom E: Successful treatment of erythema
migrans Afzelius. Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh)
31:235-243, 1951.
[27] Hellerstrom S: Erythema chronicum migrans
Afzelius with meningitis. Acta Derm Venereol
31:227-234, 1951.
[28] Janson P: Haufigkeit, klinisches Bild, Therapie
und Aetiologie des Erythema chronicum migrans. Med
Kiin 48:1139-1141, 1953.
[29] Degos R, Touraine R, Aroutte J: Erythema
chronicum migrans: Discussion of rickettsial origin.
Ann Derm Syph 89:247-260, 1962.
[30] Hollstrom E: Penicillin Treatment of erythema
chronicum migrans afzelius. Acta Derm 38:285-289,
1958.
[31] Binder E, Doepfmer R, Horstein O: Experimentelle
ubertragung des erythema chronicum migrans von Mensch
zu Mensch. Hautarzt 6:494-496, 1955. Abstracted,
Excerpta Med 10:453, 1956.
[32] Sonck CE: Erythema chronicum migrans with
multiple lesions. Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh)
45:34-36, 1965.
[33] Andermann I: Beitrag zur Begandkung des Erythema
chronicum migrans. Dermatol Wochenschur 149:441-443,
1964.
[34] Sonck CE: Griseofulvin: Unwirksam bei erythema
chronicum migrans.Hautarzt 21:514-516, 1970.
Abstracted, Exerpta Med 26:149, 1972.
[35] Weber K: Erythema chronicum migrans meningitis
eine bakterielle Infektionskrankheit? Munch Med
Wochenschr 116:1993-1998, 1974.
[36] Horstrup P, Ackermann R: Durch zecken ubertragene
Meningopolyneuritis (Garin-Bujadoux, Bannwarth).
Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 41:583-606, 1973.
[37] Steere AC et al: Arthritis Rheum 20, 7 (1977)
[38] Steere AC et al: NEJM 312, 869 (1985)
[39] Hoffmann JC et al: Lyme disease in a 74 year old
forest owner with symptoms of dermatomyositis.
Arthritis Rheum 38, 8: 1157-1160 (1995)
MHHirsch
could get there and let them know about it. I think a showing at this lecture
could draw some interest and recognition of this NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
I wrote that in caps to show that this is the issue that I think we need to
stress when talking about Lyme disease and all the other tick-borne diseases.
The government is not doing their part in warning and educating the public and
the medical profession about this menace.
Here is my post from earlier:
Rita Stanley
Why does he insist on Lyme being cured in 4-6 weeks time when you are still
so ill and there is absolutely NO WAY at this point in time to determine
that the infection is gone?
Why did he testify against Dr. Joe Natole and how much was he paid to do it?
What does he think of doctors who treat for longer periods of time? Should
THEY, too be harrassed and investigated? What are his feelings on the
current harrassment of doctors back East? Should they have their licenses
suspended because they do not go along with his conservative protocols?
What is his comment about Lynn Lane's story (have Lynn's story for everyone
to see)? Does he feel that he did a good job in his method of her diagnosis?
I'm sure he'll have a copy of these and be ready for them, but you can think
of some of your own, too.
Tell him Rita says "Hi". Oh, he knows it already.
Rita
Kathleen
conservative philosophies have to stop the public silence; have to
confront
and question, have to show how they are the results of the conservative
Rita
Rita- Where can I find the CDC position paper?
Kathleen
Kathleen
>
> x-no-archive:yes
> >
> >Every time I see the words, "Astute Clinician" linked w/A. Steere, it justs
> >makes me laugh...out loud.
> >
>
> follow his published recommendations to perform a WB along with an ELISA when
> testing for LD.
I can't imagine what he could have to say.
"We screwed up. Osp A is the only good candidate for
Lyme being an autoimmune disease and that's what we told SKB to
use for the vaccine, so now people are getting sick
from it. We want the numbers of people with autoimmune diseases
to go up so we tell all the stupid docs in CT and RI to use
Imugen, which uses a European strain of Borrelia for Western Blotting,
so they'll test negative for Lyme and we can tell them to see a
Rheumatlogist. I'm going into Russia now because they might
not know how much we screwed up. We have EUCALB in our back
pocket. Good thing they are stupid. I am so happy I went
into epidemiology to avoid the draft so I could be there when
Polly Murray discovered Lyme disease because now I'm famous.
Thank you. Have a nice day."
BLJST
Cape Cod lecturing on LD, I was in the audience and asked her what she and her
PUBLIC foundation were going to do about disclosing to the public the definite
possibility of adverse reactions to the Lyme vac. and she told us that maybe
her son would still be alive if he had the vac.! I was so...disgusted with her
refusal to even listen to my story that I immediately saw where she was coming
from and knew she was a dead end to the truth! Let's not forget$$$$$ as THE
motive for all these so called Lyme people. BLJST
Sloop...@webtv.net
the figurehead so to speak of the lyme issue. I feel that the
foundation has served its most useful and primary purpose, to address
the need to gather information regarding LD and be a wellspring for
resources in which the interested medical, research and patient
community can operate as far as disseminating and exchanging
information.....they cannot and will not be a true political/activist
font of any confrontational Lyme Disease movement.
In order to entice any of the medical and scientific community to
participate in LD research and treatment it was necessary to create a
safe climate of respectability in which these interested parties could
operate. This "safe haven" approach that offers a measure of
protection from conservatism regretfully precludes any kind of intense
agitation such as angry protests that could more rapidly advance the
Lyme agenda.
While I might understand the LDF's inclination to lean toward a more
cautious and reserved position on the entire issue I also cannot help
but be frustrated at their lack of angry outrage over the continued
perpetration of blatant lies continually promoted by the likes of Allan
Steeres. Therefore I believe it is the responsiblity of the Lyme
community to take on the mantel of activist and truly advance the Lyme
agenda with the LDF as a backdrop of support when reference material
needs to be pointed to.
The fight is ours.......no one elses.
Debi
JWissmille
way it goes. We may not like it but that is the way it works. If it hadn't
been for the LDF my closest friend would be dead . Without the LDF -
the Lyme issue would have been swept under the rug a long time ago and we would
all be wondering what the hell was wrong with us. Think of how hard it must
have been for the Forschners, in the early stages of the LDF, to work with the
people that are responsible for their son's death. There are many ways of
working to improve Lyme awareness but if the Lyme activists came on strong,
with no scientific information or researchers to back them up, they would have
never have had a chance unless they were going to take over the military. Our
NIH and CDC are archaic. It was no easy matter for the LDF to go up against
them. We need to overhaul the whole grant system. It only serves the Steeres
of the world if we fight among ourselves. It is their intention to divide us.
Look at the outrageous sydromes they invent to cover Lyme and other disease
symptoms.
What good is a healthy cured patient to a researcher looking to cash in on
studies and grants? What good is a healthy cured patient to a drug company.
They want symptoms to target. Without the LDF we, Lyme patients, would be
but an unpleasant memory to the NIH and the CDC.
georgia
P.S. If the LDF seems a little hesitant when you approach them with a story,
go back to the archives, and look at some of the people --people that work for
our government - that they have had to deal with. It is a travesty!!
posted:
Sloop...@webtv.net
their use of European strains of Bb in their testing, if this is indeed
what they are doing? It might be interesting to get their answer.
Debi
Rita Stanley
All of us fight the fight one way or the other.
There are many who are doing different things, but serving a purpose for the
greater good.
Many don't believe in the protests, too. Fine, but please don't diss people
who want to stand up to confront those who have harmed us publically. And
please, insteadof thinking of reasons why not,think of reasons as to why and
how.
Protests and street drama are designed to bring the situations to public
light. With so little media coverage on the controversies that exist, the
reliance on science entirely to get us out of this quagmire, and the hope
that things will get better merely through education while ignoring the
inroads of the conservatives, we have engendered a mess that will take a lot
of heavy duty appraoches and a long time to correct. Not one group, person,
faction can do it all. But I know that expending energies dissing one
another is one of the keys as to why we have not gotten very far.
Working in Lymeland is a tough business. Let's not do what the opposition
wants us to do - fight among ourselves and then do more nothing.
Please
Rita
Nelson
I only have one problem with the LDF, and that is the SKB vaccine. I know
that the LDF says they don't endorse it, but common. They have a direct link
to http://www.limerix.com on their main web page. To me, this would look
like an endorsement. I have heard to many horror stories about people who
were hurt by this vaccine, and if the LDF is on our side, why are they
linking to this site which encourages people getting the vaccine.
Just my opinion...
Nelson
Rita Stanley <rita...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:7v06l1$59r$1...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net...
Rita Stanley
Everyone who knows me knows that I think the Lymerix vaccine should be
pulled off the market. Now. That's a given. I know the horror stories -hey,
I'm always posting them.
If the LDF is encouraging people to get the vaccine, then I don't go along
with that stance.
No one goes along with everything I say either. I don't expect them to, nor
do I care.
But I am not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I am not going
to diss an entire organization because I do not go along with one or several
things they may do that don't go along with my ideas. I am not going to
feed into the opposition's desires to further weaken the Lyme community's
disorganization by concentrating on the points of contention. I'll find
where I can work with and among organizations and people in areas that are
mutually agreeable. Then maybe some things can get done.
Rita
Nelson wrote in message <7v08d7$umi$1...@nntp3.atl.mindspring.net>...
Nelson
Please don't take my post as me totally dissing the LDF because I am not.
They have done a lot. I was just stating the one problem I had with them.
It's not really the link itself, but the fact that it is probably there to
get $$$ from SKB. Not necessarily for advertising, but for grants and such.
The more they support SKB, the more $$$ they get I am sure. If the LDF were
to state how bad the vaccine is, they would surely loose all the SKB $$$
that they are getting. It's like politics, who has the money? I know that
they need money for research, but it's sad that some people trusting the LDF
will get hurt in order for the LDF to get that money. They will get hurt
because they will take the vaccine thinking that the LDF thinks it's good.
Nelson
Rita Stanley <rita...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:7v0c2u$jck$1...@bgtnsc01.worldnet.att.net...
Kathleen
Let's try contacting National Public Radio and seeing
if we can get we can get a show done on what's going on
in Lyme.
Everyone who is up to it, write to them and give a
summary of what's is going on with Lyme disease
as you see it and tell them you think it would be
helpful if a show was done around the time of
the Nov. 3, Astute Clinician thing.
Since National Public radio is not owned by big business
we have a chance of getting our story told.
Write often. Send as much scientific information as
you can. Beg them. Tell them your horror stories.
Quote Steere and Schoen and Dattwyler and Sigal if you
have had the misfortune to have stumbled into their lair.
Any other ideas? Anybody know of any other independent
news body? Copy me at home when you reply?
Thanks,
Kathleen
Kathleen
I understand that this is true and the goal of
Ed McWeenie.
Look at the outrageous sydromes they invent to cover Lyme and other
disease
symptoms.
It's actually funny. They have absolutely no data that
makes any sense and the thing that comes nearest to causing
molecular mimicry is OSP A, the vaccine. Yet, they spew like
buffoons, and as Joel says, Flat-Earthers, brag obnoxiously
about how important they are to Lyme docs in Europe (Dattwyler)
to the point where he has them dumbstruck, and stand there
with their arms folded for the NYTimes photo of Scientist
at Work, and going, "It's just my opinion"- It's so prophetic
that that's all they have, is their opinion. No science, after all.
I mean, to me it's funny. I can't wait for the day when
Allen ("hide me from the draft board") Steere
is seen as the Nero of the Good Old Boy Medical Diety Empire
and Sigal, the Caligula.
I wish I could think of a way to shine the light
into their souls, but the media won't see it. I've tried.
I guess I give them too much credit for being capable of
original and independent thought. Media corporations
are owned by big businesses and are monitored for
content. It's like we don't have freedom of the press any more.
What good is a healthy cured patient to a researcher looking to cash in
on
studies and grants?
I don't even think they give us that much thought.
We are living human waste.
What good is a healthy cured patient to a drug company.
They want symptoms to target. Without the LDF we, Lyme patients,
would be
but an unpleasant memory to the NIH and the CDC.
georgia
P.S. If the LDF seems a little hesitant when you approach them with
a story,
go back to the archives, and look at some of the people --people that
work for
our government - that they have had to deal with. It is a travesty!!
Georgia, I did not see the beginning of this post.
Why are you defending the LDF?
posted:
>! Let's not forget$$$$$ as THE
>motive for all these so called Lyme people.
Who wrote this? About Lyme People?
People who have Lyme disease are Lyme People.
Same term usage and connotation as Lepers.
It's a character flaw and we deserve what we get
and they would like us to all move collectively into
a deep hole.
K
LymeFightr
<snipped>
I mean, to me it's funny. I can't wait for the day when Allen ("hide me from
the draft board") Steere is seen as the Nero of the Good Old Boy Medical Diety
Empire
and Sigal, the Caligula.
Now there is a great visual! Thank you Kathleen.
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/lyme-links.html
http://www.jersey.net/~joebur/emblaze.htm
http://www.lyme.org ~ http://www.lymenet.org
http://www.lymealliance.org ~ http://www.Lymetruth.org/
http://www.imom.org/associates.htm
LDFTF
<< When Karen F. was on
Cape Cod lecturing on LD, I was in the audience and asked her what she and her
PUBLIC foundation were going to do about disclosing to the public the definite
possibility of adverse reactions to the Lyme vac. and she told us that maybe
her son would still be alive if he had the vac.!>>
What Karen told you in addition to her comment about the possiblity of her son
being alive today was, "if you had an adverse reaction to the vaccine you
should report yourself to the FDA and to the clinician that gave you the
vaccine". If you are the person I think you are, I also reiterated the same
advice when you left the auditorium and came to the lobby with your complaint.
This is the same advice that we have given and continue to give anyone who
comes to us claiming they were harmed by the vaccine, except now we also ask
people to report themselves directly to SmithKline. The numbers to call to
report an adverse reaction to Lymerix are: FDA 800-822-7967 SmithKline Beecham
800-366-8900 extension 6499.
The LDF has made information (both pro and con) about the Lyme vaccines under
development available through our Journal and our medical conferences. Prior to
the approval of the vaccine we issued a press release (9/13/97) which is still
posted on our website, that asked 5 critical questions people should consider.
An LDF representative attended the FDA meetings where the vaccines were
discussed, and at one meeting the LDF made public comment.
We feel that SmithKline has acted honorably and we appreciate the support that
they have given the LDF.
Tom Forschner
Thomas E. Forschner
Executive Director
www.lyme.org
Tami
JWissmille
get it.
For anyone that thinks the Lyme diseae vaccine is the only flawed vaccine there
is--you need to educate yourself.
BLJST
conversation, but I do. Your final advise was to talk to Ira maurer. I then
told you I HAD been talking to Ira for over 2 yrs. and he just pulled out of
the case with no warning. He also sits on the board of the LDF. So...I may not
have letters at the end of my name, but I am not stupid either. When I told you
about no longer having any legal representation you said," Sorry, then I don't
know what to tell you." Thanks for nothing. P.S. Have you read my story? bljst
Kathleen
I have to defend Parenti and SKB as well as the LDF.
I talked to Dr. Parenti. He seemed like an decent guy
and explained to me in great detail how patients
should report adverse reactions.
He also told me that SKB only wants to be of help.
I respect him.
I told him that we appreciated their trying.
Don't forget who patented OSP A:
Barbour and Fikrig.
I feel sorry for SKB and Dr. Parenti for having
been lead down the tubes by these guys.
THAT is what happened.
And don't forget it's the imbeciles who are administering
the vaccine and involved in the vaccine trials
(at least around here in SeCT) who fail to report
or record adverse reactions to the vaccine in people
who had had Lyme. [Social Climbers who deserve
and therefore have no self-respect.]
Remember that SKB invested a lot of time and
money in this vaccine. It is of no help to us, but aren't
we all here partly because we don't want it to happen other
people? And to help the newbies to rapid assistance?
Kathleen
Joanne822
write this letter? Would be more meaningful coming from a doc, asking whether
this is true and if so WHY do they do this.
--Joanne