title: Scientific evidence and best patient care practices should guide the ethics of Lyme disease activism.
abstract: Johnson and Stricker published an opinion piece in the Journal of Medical Ethics presenting their perspective on the 2008 agreement between the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Connecticut Attorney General with regard to the 2006 IDSA treatment guideline for Lyme disease. Their writings indicate that these authors hold unconventional views of a relatively common tick-transmitted bacterial infection caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that their opinions would clash with the IDSA's evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. Their allegations of conflict of interest against the IDSA resemble those made against the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2000, which were found to be baseless. It is the responsibility of all physicians and medical scientists to stand up to antiscientific, baseless and unethical attacks on those who support an evidence-based approach to caring for patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Auwaerter
authors.forename: Johan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bakken
authors.forename: Raymond J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Dattwyler
authors.forename: J Stephen
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dumler
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Halperin
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McSweegan
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Nadelman
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: Sunil K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.forename: Gary P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Wormser
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards*; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents