John Crown (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. It was very interesting for me, as a doctor, to hear the presentation. I feel I have had a CME exercise in infectious disease today. I wish to focus on specific medical issues which are troubling me greatly. If I understand what has been said correctly, the consensus of four members of the panel is that the ELISA blood test to diagnose Lyme disease does not work. I would like to hear Dr. Healy's and Mr. Casey's opinions on that. I would like Dr. Schwarzbach to tell me the alternative blood test he is using to make the diagnosis of Lyme disease if he does not accept the ELISA blood test.

Please interrupt me if I am wrong. My understanding is that the thrust of the argument is pointing in the direction that there are people who have the somewhat controversial chronic Lyme disease. The first, fourth, fifth and sixth witnesses would be advocates for the position that there is chronic Lyme disease which requires long-term antibiotic therapy which is not given in Ireland and which necessitates people travelling. It must be stated for the sake of balance that this is not a uniquely Irish phenomenon. It is not because Irish doctors are uncaring but because there is about 95% international consensus that the entity is not well-substantiated and leading bodies, including the Infectious Disease Society of America, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institutes of Health, have denied the evidence in favour of a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease infection. In a major New England Journal of Medicine review article in 2007, there was substantial criticism of Blumenthal as having been intimidatory. Individual researchers that have adopted the position that chronic Lyme disease is not yet validated have been personally threatened. It is important we understand there are two sides to the argument and the position on whether chronic Lyme disease exists. I would like specifically to get the opinions of Dr. Healy and Mr. Casey on whether they think the ELISA is not a valid test, and I would like to get Dr. Schwarzbach's information on the alternative blood test he is using.