LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION calling on the federal government to reevaluate
guidelines and allocate additional funding related to Lyme and tick-
borne diseases

WHEREAS, The Senate Majority Coalition Task Force on Lyme and Tick-Borne
Diseases was convened on October 8, 2013, to address rising concerns in
New York State regarding the outbreak and spread of Lyme and Tick-Borne
diseases; and
WHEREAS, The Task Force was charged with examining state and federal
efforts to combat the continued spread of these diseases and make recom-
mendations to facilitate improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
protocols in order to better protect New York residents; and
WHEREAS, In 1986, Lyme disease became a reportable disease in New
York; since that time, the number of cases continue to grow at an alarm-
ing rate; and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease is an infection that can affect the skin,
joints, nervous system and heart and is caused by the bacteria borrelia
burgdorferi that is spread by the bite of an infected tick; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, the CDC reported that each year around 300,000 Amer-
icans are diagnosed with Lyme Disease with most cases found in the
Northeast; and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease and tick-borne diseases are often misdiagnosed,
since the symptoms of Lyme disease are common flu-like symptoms, and the
trademark red bulls eye rash surrounding the tick bite, only appear in
some cases; such signs may appear in the days immediately following the
tick bite, but in some cases take years for symptoms to manifest; and
WHEREAS, Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause debilitating symptoms
and serious health problems; and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics if caught early;
the disease often goes undetected because it mimics other illnesses or
may be misdiagnosed; untreated, Lyme disease can lead to severe heart,
neurological, eye, and joint problems because the bacteria can affect
many different organs and organ systems; and
WHEREAS, Additional tick-borne diseases have emerged that threaten the
health and well-being of New York residents; and
WHEREAS, The Senate Majority Coalition Task Force on Lyme and Tick-
Borne Diseases recognizes this epidemic as a pressing public health
crisis, and has initiated steps to create a comprehensive statewide
response; and
WHEREAS, Uncertainty surrounding the diagnosis and appropriate treat-
ment of Lyme and tick-borne Diseases has divided many in the medical
community; the ongoing controversy regarding the diagnosis and treatment
of Lyme disease is not in the best interest of the public and those
directly affected by the disease; and
WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control recommendations for the
treatment of Lyme and tick-borne diseases are cited by many advocacy
groups as inadequate and outdated; the Senate Majority Coalition Task
Force on Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases calls on the CDC to reevaluate
current guidelines for the treatment modalities approved for these
diseases; and
WHEREAS, Federal funding for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases has
been minimal in comparison to other diseases and has not kept pace with
the need for research into diagnosis, treatment, and prevention given
the number of annual cases; and
WHEREAS, Extensive research and analysis is needed to better under-
stand the disease, develop more effective means of testing and provide
for medical treatment protocols based on best practices and updated

research, as well as provide educational campaigns and outreach to the
public at large; and
WHEREAS, The Senate Majority Coalition Task Force on Lyme and Tick-
Borne Diseases calls on the federal agencies, including the National
Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, to allocate addi-
tional resources to research and prevention in these areas; now, there-
fore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
call on the federal government to reevaluate guidelines and allocate
additional funding related to Lyme and tick-borne diseases; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the CDC.