IMPORTANT- Nov 27 NYS Hearing

[Guest guest]

>From Ellen:

This is an urgent call for Lyme disease patients and their families FROM

ACROSS THE COUNTRY to attend a vitally important hearing before the NYS

Assembly Health Committee on Nov. 27th at 10a.m. in Albany, New York. The

exact location in Albany will be announced in a few days. This hearing

may be the last chance that chronic Lyme disease patients have to save

their access to appropriate medical care.

Most of us have long been aware of the scientific controversy about

whether or not Lyme disease is easy to diagnose and treat. In recent

years, state licensing boards, frequently spurred on by complaints from

insurance companies, have been investigating and charging with

professional misconduct those physicians willing to treat chronic Lyme

with more than the cookbook 4 weeks of antibiotics. These investigations

have created an atmosphere in which many physicians will no longer risk

their licenses in order to treat chronic Lyme.

The most aggressive of these licensing boards is the Office of

Professional Medical Conduct, (OPMC) in New York State. At present

almost 70% of the few doctors still willing to treat chronic Lyme

disease in New York State have come under the threat of losing their

licenses to practice medicine.

Dr. ph Burrascano, whose published guidelines are used by physicians

throughout the world, is the best known of the physicians who treat

chronic Lyme. He has already been tried by the OPMC, and their decision

is imminent. Dr. B. could lose his license or his right to treat us,

unless we can be sufficiently convincing to get the Assembly to stand up

for us. A huge turnout of patients will be part of convincing them that

our doctors are helping us.

If the OPMC is permitted to continue this withchunt, the ripple effect

on physicians throughout the country could leave chronic Lyme disease

patients without access to appropriate care.

THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO SAVE OUR MEDICAL CARE: Please come to Albany.

Thousands of patients showing up to support our doctors will show the

Assembly that the OPMC must be stopped from depriving patients of

essential medical treatment.

If you plan to go, please go to www.faim.org/Lyme%20hearing%form.htm

Fill out the registration form and fax or mail it in

Thanks,

Ellen

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