Bill protecting longer Lyme treatments heads to Cuomo

Commentary: The Poughkeepsie Journal reported today that the Lyme bill protecting patient and doctor rights is headed to our NY Governor for his signature. Local state representatives Assemblywoman Didi Barrett and Senator Terry Gipson were sponsors of the bill, with L.I. Senator Kemp Hannon having introduced the final version that was approved yesterday by both the Senate and Assembly. Congressman Chris Gibson has also been involved in helping patients with tick-borne disorders, and has a bill that is presently before Congress to help improve research and treatment options for those suffering from Lyme and associated diseases. I am very grateful to our local representatives for taking the time to understand the complexities of tick-borne disorders and I congratulate our NY State Assembly and Senate for their hard work in passing the bill.

I have seen many patients from the Hudson Valley affected by Lyme and associated tick-borne diseases who were only given short courses of antibiotics, and who subsequently went on to develop chronic debilitating symptoms. My experience with treating over 12,000 chronically ill individuals over the past 27 years is that borrelia can establish a chronic persistent infection, as can Babesia, Bartonella and Mycoplasma infections. I have found that by simultaneously treating Lyme and associated co-infections, while addressing underlying inflammation, immune dysfunction, hormonal dysregulation, autonomic dysfunction, environmental toxicities and detoxification problems, as well as food allergies/sensitivities, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction (addressing the 16 points on the MSIDS map), that many patients who were told that they had to live with their debilitating symptoms often got better. This approach is explained in detail in my NY Times best seller, “Why Can’t I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease”. Lyme is the number one vector borne spreading epidemic spreading worldwide, and this bill is an important first step to give doctors the right to use more flexible treatment protocols for Lyme and associated tick-borne diseases, ensuring better and more appropriate access to health care.

Bill protecting longer Lyme treatments heads to Cuomo, by John Ferro, Poughkeepsie Journal