IDSA Seeks Physicians for Lyme Disease Review Panel

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is seeking physicians and scientists to volunteer to serve on a review panel to determine whether the Society's 2006 practice guidelines on Lyme disease should be revised or updated.

IDSA has entered into an agreement with the Attorney General of Connecticut ending his antitrust investigation of the Society’s Lyme disease guidelines. Under the agreement, the guidelines remain in effect; but IDSA is agreeing to an extra step: a one-time special review of the literature to determine whether the 2006 Lyme disease guidelines should be revised or updated. The timing of this review is consistent with the usual practice of reviewing published IDSA guidelines for changes every few years, but is distinctive, in that the review will be conducted by an independent panel.

To that end, a panel of eight to 12 physicians and scientists will be assembled to review and critically appraise the literature on Lyme disease. The panel will also consider data and other information submitted to IDSA and will hold a public hearing where individuals may present data to the panel for consideration. At the conclusion of this process, the review panel will evaluate whether each of the recommendations in the 2006 guidelines is supported by the scientific evidence and will make a recommendation to IDSA as to whether its 2006 guidelines should be revised or updated. Any proposed recommendations shall require a supermajority of 75 percent or more of the total voting members of the panel.

Medical ethicist Howard Brody, MD, PhD, of the University of Texas Medical Branch, Institute for the Medical Humanities, has been jointly selected by the Office of the Attorney General and IDSA and will serve as an ombudsman who will screen applicants for potential conflicts of interest.

For more information and to apply online, CLICK HERE.

Source: IDSA