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June
5, 2006
Honorable M. Jodi Rell
Office of the Governor
210 Capitol Ave
Hartford, Connecticut 06106
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- Dear Governor Rell:
- I urge you to direct
the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health (DPH), Dr.
Galvin to add Lyme disease to the list of Laboratory Reportable
Significant Findings.
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- As you know Lyme disease
affects thousands of Connecticut residents every year and can
be a potentially serious health risk. The lack of effective case
reporting minimizes the true impact on Connecticut citizens as
well as the resources used to combat this disease. The importance
of Lab reporting to DPH was highlighted in 2002, the last year
of a CDC DPH project that utilized Lab reports. The case numbers
decreased from 4,631 to 1,403.
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- At a public meeting
with DPH arranged by the Attorney General, we were told that
Lyme disease would be included as a Lab reportable finding when
the database for Bioterrorism was completed. It has been over
3 years since that meeting and the Health Department has done
nothing.
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- During a Public Hearing
in January 2004 a DPH representative again restated that Lyme
disease would and should be included as Lab reportable but, still
nothing has happened.
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- Dr. Galvin's response
to my April 10th letter now talks about the challenges of information
technology but does not address his department's previous commitment
to include Lyme disease. He is also not specific as to when DPH
will fulfill its promise.
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- The issue I am raising
is important for several reasons:
- Can we trust the promises
of DPH?
- Why doesn't Connecticut
have a state of the art Bio terrorism database?
- Is DPH minimizing the
impact of Lyme by not putting it on the list?
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- Please consider this
request with the highest priority.
- Sincerely,
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- Thomas E. Forschner,
MBA CPA
Executive Director
- CC: Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal
Senator Chris Murphy Co-Chair Public Health Committee
Representative Peggy Sayers, RN Co- Chair Public Health Committee
Dr. Robert Galvin, Commissioner of Public Health
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