HJR61 Summary

• Urges the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to update definitions of Lyme disease symptoms based on clinical diagnosis.

• Requests the CDC reconsider standards and best practices for diagnosing and treating Lyme disease, as significant debate exists in the medical community about proper diagnostic and treatment approaches.

• Calls for the CDC to provide additional resources to health care professionals and the general public regarding Lyme disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

• Asks the CDC to improve reporting techniques used by state and local public health agencies to reduce underreporting of Lyme disease cases, with an estimated 300,000 annual cases but only approximately 30,000 reported to the CDC.

• Requests the CDC provide means for improved or funded laboratory testing to enhance early detection of Lyme disease, as current testing methods often produce inaccurate results.