News

We wish to thank all those who have helped publicise and support our campaign, including gamekeepers, moorland groups, the farming community, walkers, and mountaineers and all of the health professionals who are helping to drive forward the case for more support for patients. To date, nothing has made a difference. Patients with the most complex bacterial infection known to man are left to fend for themselves without any NHS help.

On 17th May 2023, there was a Scottish parliamentary debate on “National Lyme Disease Awareness Month”: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/members-business-s6m-07769-evelyn-tweed-national-lyme-disease-awareness-month-may-17-2023

On 20th November 2020, 8 insurance companies settled in a US lawsuit which asserts that insurance companies paid key doctors associated with IDSA to develop and enforce care guidelines that sharply limited treatment and drove doctors who treated outside the guidelines out of business.

The First European Crypto-Infections Conference was held in Dublin from 31st May-1st June 2019, looking behind the science of Lyme Disease and co-infections.  The Second European Crypto-Infections Conference was held via Zoom on 26th-27th September 2020.  Both were extremely successful in bringing together international researchers on tick-borne illnesses.

On 31st March 2019, a new Scottish charity, Lyme Resource Centre, was registered. We are proud to have helped get it established. The Lyme Resource Centre will provide up-to-date information and resources to help organisations involved in tick control and medical care, particularly addressing the needs of those with chronic illness.

On 22 June 2018, the European Commission updated the communicable diseases list and related special health issues to be covered by epidemiological surveillance as well as the relevant case definitions. For the first time, Lyme neuroborreliosis was included on the list of diseases under EU epidemiological surveillance, with a uniform EU case definition being formally released:
https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/european-commission-updates-communicable-disease-surveillance-list-lyme

The World Health Organisation has updated its diagnostic codes to include a wide range of serious complications of Lyme disease including “Congenital Lyme borreliosis”, “Dementia due to Lyme disease”, and “Central nervous system demyelination due to Lyme neuroborreliosis”: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/press-release-ground-breaking-recognition-lyme-11th-luche-thayer/

“PRESS RELEASE: Ground Breaking Recognition of Lyme Borreliosis in 11th International Classification of Diseases On June 18, 2018 the World Health Organization (WHO) issued the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases or ICD11. WHO received over 10,000 proposals for ICD11 revisions. The Ad Hoc Committee for Health Equity in ICD11 Borreliosis Codes executed a comprehensive approach that successfully established new codes for life-threatening complications from Lyme. This is a major achievement for the global Lyme community because it is the first time in over 25 years that these serious complications have been officially recognized by the WHO. ….”

A World Health Organisation report has been released documenting the harassment many doctors and others attempting to help Lyme disease patients have experienced, making others unwilling to get involved:
https://ticscotland.org.uk/humanrightsdefenders

“The human rights defenders of Lyme and relapsing fever borreliosis patients include members of non-governmental organizations, patient groups, government officials, elected officials, scientists, medical professionals, researchers and laboratory and clinic owners….[They:]

• have been consistently threatened with the loss of their professional licenses and livelihoods
• have had their livelihoods destroyed and licenses removed
• are routinely targeted for harassment, defamation, slander and libel
• are burdened with probationary measures that curtail their freedom of movement and assembly and their right to free speech and associational life
• experience false accusations, undue process and conviction

These violations have often targeted the human rights defenders themselves, as well as the organizations and mechanisms through which they work.”

“Gamekeepers back Lyme disease campaign with clampdown on ticks as patients appeal for faster diagnosis” http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15498308.Gamekeepers_back_Lyme_disease_campaign_with_clampdown_on_ticks/

“Campaign launched aimed at improving the way Lyme disease is combated in Scotland”
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/health-and-beauty/1316928/campaign-launched-aimed-at-improving-the-way-lyme-disease-is-combated-in-scotland/

On 14th June 2017, there was a Scottish parliamentary debate on “Lyme Disease: The Need to do More”
https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/lyme-disease-the-need-to-do-more-june-14-2017

“Petition worth signing…better awareness of Lyme Disease in the Scottish medical profession.”
https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/archive/index.php/t-136741.html

“Petition seeks action on ticks and Lyme disease”
https://www.mountaineering.scot/news/petition-seeks-action-on-ticks-and-lyme-disease

“Petition launched for better awareness of Lyme disease” http://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle_news/15361761.Petition_launched_for_better_awareness_of_Lyme_disease/

“Woman launches petition calling for better treatment of Lyme disease after losing over 10 years of her life to the illness” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/woman-launches-petition-calling-better-10541841