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LDA & Columbia Jointly Provide Milestone Annual Lyme Disease CME Conference
Lyme Disease Association, Inc. (LDA) and Columbia University jointly provided the “20th Annual Scientific Update for Clinicians & Researchers: Lyme & Other Tick-Borne Diseases” on September 21st and 22nd in Philadelphia. Over the past two decades, the conference has grown to be an essential event for the Lyme disease community. Every year doctors, researchers, patients, caregivers, exhibitors, and advocates gather to learn the latest in science-based research relating to Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
This year’s sold-out conference included 23 faculty members with speakers consisting of clinicians and researchers from across the U.S. and Canada. Attendees were presented with new findings in the areas of Lyme and tick-borne disease testing, diagnosis, and treatment. Topics included research developments in cardiac Lyme, new case information on mitral valve endocarditis and Lyme disease, a possible gene link to chronic Lyme/PTLDS, epidemiology, rickettsial diseases issues, Babesia, Powassan virus, the gut-brain axis, OCD, and the spread of ticks.
LDA President, Pat Smith, and Conference Director, Dr. Brian Fallon, Columbia University, were honored by the Lyme disease community on this 20th Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Conference for their inimitable devotion, service, and support, and for their invaluable efforts to bring science-based education and support to the medical and research community.
The Lyme Disease Association and President Pat Smith were also honored with a letter of support and recognition from Congressman Christopher H. Smith (NJ-4), which was read aloud by Dr. Fallon. In it, Representative Smith congratulated the “tenacious, outstanding” LDA President and the LDA for reaching a remarkable twenty-year milestone of “bringing together experts in the fields of science and public health to enhance our understanding of the huge risks posed by Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.” In his letter, Congressman Smith went on to chronicle much of the legislative work that he and Pat Smith have partnered on for nearly three decades now, including the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group’s (TBDWG) legislative formation.
LDA President Pat Smith had this to say: “Educating physicians with the best and latest research on Lyme and tick-borne diseases is a very important part of our mission. LDA is able to provide a high-level program with Columbia where speakers and topics are vetted in advance before category 1 CME credits can be offered. It is a tremendous amount of work on many levels, but our faculty and attendees are cognizant of the wealth of new knowledge presented in an environment that is respectful, organized, and allows for divergent viewpoints to be presented and discussed in a professional atmosphere. Many scientific collaborations are also formed which provide new work to move the field forward.”
View Congressman Chris Smith’s Letter
View 2019 Conference General Info
View 2019 Conference Recap by MLDSE Pres., Paula Jackson Jones
View Past LDA Scientific Conferences
Watch video below of Dr. Brian Fallon reading letter from Congressman Chris Smith recognizing LDA and Pres. Pat Smith. Duration 4 min, 50 sec.