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Letter to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services - Lyme Disease

Letter

Date: Aug. 19, 2013
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health and Health Care

August 19, 2013

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius
Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Secretary Sebelius:

Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the number of Americans diagnosed with Lyme disease each year is approximately 300,000 - 10 times higher than the 30,000 cases reported annually. Given this startling announcement, we urge you to promote the development of improved diagnostic tools and interventions and to expand, intensify and coordinate efforts to ensure that the public, health care providers, educators and others are doing everything possible to raise awareness about strategies to prevent the spread of this disease.

As you know, Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that could cause numerous symptoms including headache, fever, fatigue, arthritis, Bell's palsy, memory problems, and even death. Lyme disease cases are also heavily concentrated in the United States. A 2011 study showed that 96 percent of all Lyme disease cases were reported in just 13 states, including Minnesota and Maine.

Improving public health requires a more accurate picture of the number of Lyme disease diagnoses each year. We commend you and CDC Director Frieden for strengthening the understanding of the transmission and incidence of this disease. This new data will inform future efforts to prevent, diagnose, and treat Lyme disease.

The Department of Health and Human Services is best suited to coordinate the prevention and response efforts already being done at the state and local levels, at public health organizations, within the scientific community and across other federal agencies prevention. It is our hope that today's announcement will strengthen these efforts as we strive to raise public awareness and prevent Lyme disease.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Amy Klobuchar, United States Senator

Susan Collins, United States Senator

cc: The Honorable Thomas Frieden, MD, MPH, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


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