10th Meeting of TBDWG – Sept 12, 2019 Summary

The tenth meeting of the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group (TBDWG) was held via webcast on Sept 12, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET.     

• Subcommittee members were announced, and the Working Group received reports from the eight subcommittees that were formed during the June 4, 2019 meeting. 
• Two subcommittee name changes were approved, since the Subcommittees felt names did not reflect the focus of the Subcommittees. Dr. Ben Beard, CDC, presented the change to the first committee, and Pat Smith, President LDA presented the change to the second. The two Subcommittees are now 1.) Babesiosis & Tick-Borne Pathogens and 2.) Training, Education, Access to Care & Reimbursement. Dr. Beard indicated his committee needed to include more of the tick-borne diseases and not just viral TBD. Ms. Smith was concerned because Working Group discussion had included Access to Care & Reimbursement and that without that aspect in the title, patients needs  were being being removed from the focus of the Subcommittee.
• Public comments were presented by eight patients and avocates over a 30 minute time period. Issues shared included alpha-gal, 2019 TBDWG membership as it relates to patient/advocate representation, and transparency of the TBDWG process.
• Three topic development briefs were shared with the Working Group. A common theme throughout the briefs was that the most existing research that had been collected in this process is either inconclusive or indicates that further research is needed in each of the three topic areas presented. The three topic development briefs were: 1.) Cause of increase for tick-borne diseases, 2.) Cause of persistent Lyme disease, and 3.) State of current testing for tick-borne diseases.
• The Working Group created a new subcommittee, Federal Inventory, to analyze the new Federal inventory content for use in the 2020 report to congress. LDA President and TBDWG member, Pat Smith, volunteered to Chair this committee and Sam Donta volunteered to be Co-Chair.
• Pat Smith also requested the list of NIH grants be released to the public.
• Timeline for subcommittee work and dates for the next two (in-person) TBDWG meetings were announced.

The next (in-person) public meetings will be held January 28 & 29, 2020 in Washington, DC and March 3 & 4, 2020 in Philadelphia, PA For details visit HHS-TBDWG webpage Comments to the TBDWG may be emailed directly to [email protected]