Virginia Delegate Tom Rust has introduced bill H.B. 512 to the Virginia House of Delegates. The bill allows a physician to prescribe, administer, or dispense long-term antibiotic therapy to a patient diagnosed with Lyme or tick-borne disease. The key component of this legislation is that a physician can treat Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases with antibiotics for more than 4 weeks without the fear of disciplinary action.
The National Capital Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Association (NATCAP) has been working closely with Delegate Rust and his staff on this bill. Delegate Rust, NATCAP, and Mosquito Squad urge everyone to call or write their Virginia delegate or senator and ask him or her to sign-on to this bill. The legislation must be read within 30 days or it will die, so please help us to ensure that Lyme disease patients receive adequate treatment without their doctor facing disciplinary action.
Please visit www.natcaplyme.org, where you can read the bill and find your local delegate from the legislative listings. NATCAP provides a sample form letter, or you can create your own message, that allows you to quickly send the message that you strongly support the bill, are counting on his or her support, and are asking him or her to sign-on to the bill as a co-sponsor.
Help us to circulate this information and keep this very important piece of legislation from dying by sending this information to all of your friends! If we all band together, we can make a huge difference and help Lyme disease patients secure the long-term treatment that they need!
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