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Summary HR 1179

"Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Prevention, Education & Research Act of 2009"

Sponsors

• Sponsor:  Christopher Smith (NJ)
• Original co-sponsors:  Tim Holden (PA), Bart Stupak (MI), Frank Wolf (VA)

Goals

• Establish Advisory Committee
  •  Purpose
    • Communication among government agencies & constituency groups (including patient groups) that deal with Lyme disease policies
    • Advise agencies on priorities concerning tick-borne diseases
    • Minimize overlap of activities
    • Ensure broad spectrum scientific viewpoint represented in publich health policies
    • Advise Health & Human Services (HHS) concerning ongoing activities and what needs to be accomplished
  •  Duties/Responsibilities
    • Committee meetings
      • shall be public
      • meet 2 times per year or more
      • keep records
    • Committee
      • submit detailed reports to HHS Secretary
    • HHS Secretary
      • shall report on meetings to Congress & include
        • committee function, members, activities in the recent year, and issues regarding functioning of committee
  • Members
    • HHS Secretary ensures committee diversity & broad viewpoints
      • Doctors, Scientists from broad spectrum of viewpoints
      • Patients, Volunteer Organizations
      • Government members - non-voting

• Authorizes appropriations of $20 million a year for each of 5 years in addition to any other authorization of appropriations for such purposes

  • Priorities
    • Research (gold standard diagnostic tests, clinical outcomes research)
    • Examine current surveillance & reporting
    • Physician & public education
    • Prevention