By: Hunter, Herrero, Ortiz, Jr., et al. H.C.R. No. 152
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Lyme disease, the most frequently diagnosed
insect-borne disease in the country, was first confirmed in Texas
in 1984; since then, countless state residents have suffered the
effects of this painful disease, yet their efforts to seek
appropriate medical care are often stymied; and
WHEREAS, Transmitted by the bite of an infected tick or flea,
Lyme disease is caused by a specialized type of bacteria called a
spirochete; people of all ages are susceptible to the disease,
which can cause skin, joint, heart, and nervous system problems and
which, if not adequately treated, can continue for months or years;
and
WHEREAS, Most easily and effectively treated during its early
stage, the disease is commonly overlooked because many people do
not realize that they have been bitten; a bull's-eye rash is the
only certain sign of Lyme disease, but not everyone who has been
infected develops a rash, and other symptoms may not occur until as
many as eight weeks after a bite; diagnosis is further complicated
by the fact that the biological markers of the disease are not
necessarily reliable and do not always appear in laboratory tests;
the longer a person has the disease, the harder it is to eradicate;
and
WHEREAS, Although some studies have shown that most patients
can be cured of Lyme disease with a few weeks of oral antibiotics,
many patients continue to report symptoms long after an initial
round of treatment; in those cases, the International Lyme and
Associated Diseases Society recommends continuing antibiotic
treatment "for several months after clinical and laboratory
abnormalities have begun to resolve and symptoms have disappeared";
however, because this method differs from the one promoted by the
Infectious Disease Society of America and other organizations,
health care professionals often face the loss of their medical
licenses for pursuing it; and
WHEREAS, The number of Texas physicians who attempt to treat
chronic Lyme disease patients has shrunk, and
patients--debilitated by such symptoms as fatigue, muscle and joint
pain, headaches, nausea, anxiety, depression, and Bell's
palsy--are forced to either travel out of state to gain access to
care or forgo treatment altogether; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house
of representatives to provide for a joint interim legislative study
on the availability of medical treatment for patients with Lyme
disease in Texas.