BC's College of Physicians & Surgeons gets a talking to

A Christmas present just in time for the holidays -- last week, a member of the BC legislature (Mr. David Cubberley) sent a strongly worded reprimand to that province's College of Physicians & Surgeons (CPSBC). The letter was spurred by the glib attitude toward Lyme disease reflected in a quarterly bulletin distributed by the College back in October.

In his letter, Mr. Cubberley writes "[the bulletin] reinforces the prevailing lack of awareness among BC doctors. The [diagnostic] approach recommended actually contradicts the policy of the BC Ministry of Health and the BC Centre for Disease Control...". He goes on to note the College's failure to even mention the primary Lyme symptoms of which doctors should be aware, and that the College "compounds the harm to Lyme sufferers by perpetuating the claim that Chronic Lyme disease 'remains controversial', meaning that it may not exist. This equates to a life-sentence for anyone undiagnosed in the early stages (which is virtually everyone contracting Lyme in BC today)..." Well said.

You can read both Mr. Cubberley's letter and the CPSBC newsletter from the embedded links (pdf format). Those in the Lyme community may find themselves uncontrollably cheering as they read this well-written letter to the College. Gradually there are more of our elected representatives in our corner. Keep working on yours.

Virtute et Veritate (from the CPSBC logo)... Maybe the College will find some of this in their stocking this Christmas. This is the season of hope after all.

Merry Christmas

Getting the attention of our elected representatives

A few other noteworthy items have transpired over the last month.

Those of you in the Lyme community may recall that early this year, an MP from Manitoba (the Honourable James Bezan) invited Lyme patients from across the country to contact him with their Lyme adventures -- he wanted to hear from us about our experiences with Canada's medical system. Well, it seems he had a pretty good response. According to a recent article in Nova Scotia's Chronicle Herald, aptly titled It should have been done 10 years ago, Mr. Bezan has forwarded our accounts to new federal Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq, as well as every one of her provincial counterparts.

"There seems to be a lack of education of our doctors, poor diagnostics and testing, and that has resulted in the virus [sic] having a greater negative impact on the lives of too many Canadians," Selkirk-Interlake MP James Bezan said in an interview. Bacteriological inaccuracies aside, Mr. Bezan hit the nail square on the head.

Elsewhere in Canada, the leader of Alberta's Liberal Caucus, MPP Kevin Taft Ph.D. (aka “the man with a plan”), tabled a private members statement entitled Diagnosing Lyme Disease (pdf format).

"Clearly, there are obvious deficits in the available background information, diagnostic criteria and testing recommendations for Lyme disease in Alberta." "I urge this government to work with CanLyme on a formal public review and work with federal agencies to revise Lyme testing."

Have you written your elected representatives yet? Contact your MP and MPP today ( BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE, NL ).

Press Conference at Queen's Park

On 7 November 2008, Lyme Action Group held a press conference at the Ontario Legislature. The purpose was to draw Chronic Lyme disease issues, and the plight of doctors who treat it, to the attention of our elected representatives and to the public. Participating in the event were medical science author Ms. Helke Ferrie, three of Dr. Krop's Lyme patients (Ms. Janet Mitchell, Dr. Graham Kucan, and Ms. Karin Klouman), and Dr. Jozef Krop.

Part 1: Introduction by Helke Ferrie


Part 2: Patient Janet Mitchell


Part 3: Patient Dr. Graham Kucan


Part 4: Patient Karin Klouman


Part 5: Dr. Jozef Krop


Lyme Action Group wishes to sincerely thank Ontario MPP Monte Kwinter, who kindly sponsored this event.