Lyme Disease Sufferers Protest
Victims Believe State Senator Stymieing Their Efforts
POSTED: 6:40 p.m. EDT May 29, 2002
UPDATED: 6:54 p.m. EDT May 29, 2002
WESTBURY, N.Y. -- 
Merle Perlmutter has suffered for 24 years with lyme disease. On good days, she can function, but on bad days, she's bedridden.
"If I'm not on medication, I'm in bed wishing I were dead," she said.
But because of untraditional treatment, which included a prolonged course of antibiotics, she managed to get from New Rochelle, N.Y. to Long Island for what she believes is a critical fight. She and other lyme disease victims -- wearing lime green ribbons and bearing lime green signs at a protest on Wednesday -- are fighting to defend the doctors who treat them.
Lyme disease sufferers protested outside the offices of New York state Sen. Kemp Hannon because they said Hannon is blocking their efforts to reform the way doctors who treat the tick-borne disease are treated by the state.
There is a debate in the medical community over how to best treat lyme disease. While a short course of antibiotics is most common, some doctors have had success with prolonged treatment. But many of those doctors have been brought up on disciplinary charges. And their patients call it a witch hunt.
"There's been a witch hunt against doctors whose treatment is too costly," said Ellen Lubarsky, a member of the Voices of Lyme advocacy group. "Insurance companies can report any doctor who gives extensive treatment."
Perlmutter and other victims believe that because of the aggressive course of antibiotics they were put on, they were able to get out of their wheelchairs. However, Perlmutter got her doctor in trouble with the New York State Office of Professional Medical Conduct.
"I want reform in the OPMC," said Lia McCabe, a lyme disease patient. "I want them to stop harassing the doctors that treat aggressively with treatment that got me out of a wheelchair."
While protestors delivered petitions to his office, Hannon issued a statement that said the bill is not even in his Health Committee yet, and that the Assembly has already passed a measure that calls on the state and insurance companies to stop targeting doctors who treat lyme disease.
Merle Perlmutter has suffered for 24 years with lyme disease. On good days, she can function, but on bad days, she's bedridden.
"If I'm not on medication, I'm in bed wishing I were dead," she said.
But because of untraditional treatment, which included a prolonged course of antibiotics, she managed to get from New Rochelle, N.Y. to Long Island for what she believes is a critical fight. She and other lyme disease victims -- wearing lime green ribbons and bearing lime green signs at a protest on Wednesday -- are fighting to defend the doctors who treat them.
Lyme disease sufferers protested outside the offices of New York state Sen. Kemp Hannon because they said Hannon is blocking their efforts to reform the way doctors who treat the tick-borne disease are treated by the state.
There is a debate in the medical community over how to best treat lyme disease. While a short course of antibiotics is most common, some doctors have had success with prolonged treatment. But many of those doctors have been brought up on disciplinary charges. And their patients call it a witch hunt.
"There's been a witch hunt against doctors whose treatment is too costly," said Ellen Lubarsky, a member of the Voices of Lyme advocacy group. "Insurance companies can report any doctor who gives extensive treatment."
Perlmutter and other victims believe that because of the aggressive course of antibiotics they were put on, they were able to get out of their wheelchairs. However, Perlmutter got her doctor in trouble with the New York State Office of Professional Medical Conduct.
"I want reform in the OPMC," said Lia McCabe, a lyme disease patient. "I want them to stop harassing the doctors that treat aggressively with treatment that got me out of a wheelchair."
While protestors delivered petitions to his office, Hannon issued a statement that said the bill is not even in his Health Committee yet, and that the Assembly has already passed a measure that calls on the state and insurance companies to stop targeting doctors who treat lyme disease.
Copyright 2002 by WNBC.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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