Dr. Alan Steere’s views have gone beyond making life hell for Lyme disease patients; they are now actively endangering other doctors who have been nothing but beneficial to Lyme disease patients and their families; doctors who now need your help. These are doctors Burrascano and Horowitz. Information is hard to shake lose from OPMC until it is almost too late; under legal advice additional doctors don’t say anything publicly; but it is reliably reported that up to 15 other Lyme treating doctors in New York are also under the gun.
First, I will let you read [internationally renowned] Dr. Burrascano’s words, and then I will tell/show you what I am begging you to do. Please, give this your utmost, urgent attention. There is no time to waste.
"I am approaching a critical time in my battle with the New York State Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC). They have notified me that they intend to fully prosecute me in a formal administrative hearing.
Statistically, based on past experiences, there is a 98% chance that I will have my license to practice medicine revoked, suspended, or restricted (i.e.: cannot treat Lyme patients), and face a possible fine. This will be scheduled within the next few weeks. Obviously, the goal is to halt this process NOW, before a formal hearing commences. Not only is such a hearing potentially damaging, the defense can cost upward of $100,000.00, and is not covered by insurance!
In addition, I just received a copy of a letter sent from the OPMC to Senator Moynihan stating that, in so many words, the feelings of my supporters and their letters are being ignored by OPMC, because OPMC follows the Lyme guidelines of the ALDF (Steere et al) and the recommendations of the Medical Letter (Lyme recommendations written by Dr. Steere). In other words, the reality and truth of Lyme, supported by valid, peer reviewed publications and our experience with thousands of patients counts for nothing. OPMC is blindly listening to the ALDF physicians and NOT critically reviewing their recommendations, which DO NOT stand up to scientific scrutiny.
What can we do now? Now we have to fight even harder! We need to have our message VERY STRONGLY conveyed directly to New York Governor Pataki. He must immediately halt all actions against all Lyme MDs and initiate an independent investigation of OPMC and whom they are relying upon for their misinformation about Lyme.
Another very important thing all of us must do, patients and doctors alike, is to join the organization known as FAIM, the Foundation for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine. They are a powerful and successful advocacy and lobbying group, and because they support my views, and know that there is power in numbers, they welcome the Lyme community to their organization. I am formally requesting that all my supporters join FAIM. Look them up at http://www.FAIM.org, or call them toll free at 1-877-634-3246.
We also must get as much media attention as possible, not only for us to tell our story, but also directed toward Governor Pataki so he will feel additional pressure to act.
If my ability to treat Lyme Patients is restricted or if I am fined for what I do, this will have a very large negative effect on the current and future health of not only my own patients, but by ripple effect, it will affect all Lyme patients worldwide.
Call and e-mail all your friends, family and other contacts as soon as possible and spread this message. We need a gigantic call to action now!
Thanks to all my friends!
J.J. Burrascano Jr. M.D. January 8, 2000."
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Pretty spooky, huh? Our views and experiences ignored, only the views of Steere, et al, entertained.
Operating on the theory that every boss has a boss, the only way to call a halt to this circus, or at least insert a sense of fairness into the issue, is to go to the top.
It doesn’t matter whether you live in the State of New York or not. Remember, LYME KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES. If Lyme treating physicians in New York can be stopped from treating in a manner other than dictated by the Dr. Steere camp, it can happen in other states, and has. If you have, or know someone who has, Lyme, this action against Dr. Burrascano and Dr. Horowitz affects you. One – in the way your doctor will be ALLOWED to treat you, and Two – what your insurance coverage will even think about paying for.
NOW, FOR WHAT I AM ASKING YOU TO DO:
1. Write AND e-mail Governor Pataki, requesting he halt all investigating/prosecuting actions against Lyme treating doctors until such time as there is no doubt that OPMC is conducting legal investigations, legal prosecutions, utilizing broad-base scientific information, and that it is only coincidental that Lyme treating doctors are being investigated in such a high concentration. Any perception of a Star Chamber or kangaroo court must be eradicated.
To Write To The Governor:
Governor George E. Pataki
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
To Email The Governor:
gov.pataki@chamber.state.ny.us
cc: nyhealth@health.state.ny.us,
nysag@oag.state.ny.us,
bruno@senate.state.ny.us,
speaker@assembly.state.ny.us,
hannon@senate.state.ny.us,
gottfrr@assembly.state.ny.us,
senator@dpm.senate.gov,
senator@schumer.senate.gov,
jerrold.nadler@mail.house.gov,
dollinge@senate.state.ny.us,
ritastan@worldnet.att.net
Monica@healthlobby.com
dateline@nbc.com
2. Have your family, friends, anybody that owes you a favor, do the same.
3. Entertain, as Dr. Burrascano requests, joining the Foundation for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine. At the very least, visit their web site at http://www.FAIM.org and make up your own mind. My wife and I sent our $50.00 in for a one year family membership.
4. Carbon copy (cc) the e-mail/letter to every politician, legislator, and health care worker you know, asking for their assistance. Be sure and include every cc: already listed here.
For those of you find it hard to write letters, a sample document is included below. Simply copy it, write at the top something like "I am sending you this letter because I concur with the contents; it directly affects me", include your name and address, and send it as soon as possible.
SAMPLE LETTER:
==============================================================
Dear Governor Pataki gov.pataki@chamber.state.ny.us
cc: nyhealth@health.state.ny.us,
nysag@oag.state.ny.us,
bruno@senate.state.ny.us,
speaker@assembly.state.ny.us,
hannon@senate.state.ny.us,
gottfrr@assembly.state.ny.us,
senator@dpm.senate.gov,
senator@schumer.senate.gov,
jerrold.nadler@mail.house.gov,
dollinge@senate.state.ny.us,
ritastan@worldnet.att.net
Monica@healthlobby.com
dateline@nbc.com
I am writing to you for assistance; making a call for immediate action.
It concerns the recent notification to Dr. J. J. Burrascano by the New York State Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) that they intend to prosecute him to the fullest. Dr. Horowitz, coincidentally (?) another Lyme treating physician, is also targeted by OPMC. Information is hard to shake lose from OPMC, but it is reliably reported that up to 15 other physicians are in their gunsights. Is it just coincidence, once again, that these too are Lyme treating physicians?
While the charter for such an office is important; the public must be protected from intentional misconduct within the medical community; these particular cases are frightening. OPMC itself says that difference of opinion are not cause for investigation, yet a difference of opinion is the centerpoint of the investigation and prosecution.
Dr. Burrascano, in his eerily prophetic words ("I place my license in danger…) in his testimony before the Oversight Hearing – "Lyme Disease: A Diagnostic and Treatment Dilemma", Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources in 1993, highlighted the controversy as a difference of opinion in treatment protocols between the "overdiagnosed and overtreated" camp lead by Dr. Alan Steere, and the "NOT easily diagnosed and NOT easily treated" experiences of the physicians actually in the trenches.
Dr. Burrascano is the author of "The New Lyme Disease, DIAGNOSTIC HINTS AND TREATMENT GUIDELINES FOR TICK BORNE ILLNESSES" (http://www.lyme.org/otherdis/burrascano.html), which is an update of what appeared in the 1997 edition of Conn’s Current Therapies ( http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/6772/conns.txt ). It has been considered the "bible" for treating physicians.
The fact that there is a controversy amongst physicians would not normally require the attention of your office. However, when the OPMC writes to Senator Moynihan and essentially states:
"…the feelings of [Dr. Burrascano’s] supporters and their letters are being ignored by OPMC, because OPMC follows the Lyme guidelines of the ALDF (Steere et al) and the recommendations of the Medical Letter (Lyme recommendations written by Dr. Steere)…."
In other words, the reality and truth of Lyme, supported by valid, peer reviewed publications and treating physician experience with thousands of patients counts for nothing. OPMC is blindly listening to the ALDF physicians and NOT critically reviewing their recommendations, which DO NOT stand up to scientific scrutiny.
In short, OPMC is projecting a very valid perception of conducting a kangaroo court.
I believe it imperative that you immediately direct the OPMC to halt, cease, and desist from conducting ANY investigation or prosecution, of ANY Lyme treating physician, until in can be stated without equivocation that the conduct of the OPMC is in fact entertaining ALL scientific viewpoints, and not subscribing to a narrow viewpoint with well-known deleterious consequences.
As an assistance to your office, the below information is submitted to substantiate the charge that the OPMC viewpoint of Lyme treatment is extremely narrow, not evidence-based; that the perception of being a kangaroo court IS evidence-based:
You signature
Your address
=============== end of sample letter =================================
