WASHINGTON, DC – Center for Lyme Action, the leading nonprofit dedicated
to growing federal funding for Lyme and tick-borne diseases, published today a research
paper called “The State of Lyme Disease Research in the United States.” With nearly half a
million new cases of Lyme disease each year in the U.S., the paper chronicles the current
published studies and makes recommendations for areas of federal investment.
“Lyme is a frustrating and debilitating disease, but it’s a solvable problem,” said Jeff Crater,
co-founder of the Center for Lyme Action. “Unfortunately, Lyme disease cases are rising, but
with the right research funded to create new diagnostics and therapies we can make progress
towards a cure.”
In the “State of Lyme Disease Research,” Center for Lyme Action makes 26 important
recommendations. The paper is organized around the five research priorities from the 2019 NIH
Strategic Plan for Tickborne Disease Research, a comprehensive blueprint to guide a research
program that can provide relief to patients across the United States who contract tick-borne
illnesses. Among the key recommendations from the paper include:
● Increase research funding for the development of diagnostics that are sensitive and
specific for the detection of Borrelia and other tick-borne infections.
● Increase research funding for alternative therapeutics to treat acute, late-stage, and
persistent Lyme disease.
● Build a national biorepository of human samples for Lyme disease and other tick-borne
illnesses supported by a network of qualified laboratories and physician clinics.
● Increase research and clinical studies funding to better understand the mechanisms for
Borrelia persistence and its tolerance to antibiotics.
“While we need to improve our knowledge of Lyme and tick-borne diseases, fundamentally the
diagnostics and therapies for Lyme disease have not changed very much in the last 20 years,”
said Nicole Bell, primary author of the paper. “In particular, Center for Lyme Action recommends
significant investments in new diagnostics that will not only help physicians treat patients more
effectively, but also can unlock innovative clinical trials for new treatments.”
Center for Lyme Action will introduce the paper at an upcoming public webinar on Monday, July
24, 2023 at 3pm EDT. To register for the webinar please go to https://bit.ly/3NSlDjJ To read the
paper, go to https://centerforlymeaction.org/state-of-lyme-disease-research/.
