Dear Members of the Lyme and Tick-borne Diseases Community Disease:

At the request of the NIH, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the IOM will  conduct a scientific workshop to assess the state of the science of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.  The workshop will represent the broad spectrum of scientific views on Lyme disease and should provide a forum for public participation and input from individuals withe Lyme diseases requested in congressional appropriations report language in House Committee Report 111-120 and Senate Committee Report 111-66. The product to be delivered will be a committee authored meeting summary that highlights workshop presentations and discussions.

The Institute of Medicine serves as adviser to the nation to improve health. Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policymakers, health professionals, the private sector, and the public. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The Institute of Medicine has announced the committee for its study “Lyme Disease and Other Tick-borne Diseases: The State of the Science.”  The committee roster is available at the study’s website . Any individual or organization that would like to submit public comments can do so through the online Current Projects System.

The committee will have two meetings: a planning meeting and a final workshop.

The planning meeting will be held April 29-30, 2010, at The National Academies, 500 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC. On April 29 in the afternoon, the committee will have an open session and present their charge. In addition, members of the tick-borne disease community will have an opportunity to address the committee. To do so, please register for the meeting online . Those who do not register will only be able to address the committee if time allows.

You may send any additional material and suggestions for the committee to lymedisease@nas.edu.

The workshop will be held on September 27 and 28, 2010 in Washington, DC. More information will be available as the committee begins their discussions.

If you received this email from a colleague, we invite you to attend the meetings and subscribe to future updates from the committee.

Regards,

Christine Coussens