Infectious Diseases Society of America
Encyclopedia
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is a medical association representing physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious disease
s. As of 2010, IDSA had approximately 9,000 members. IDSA’s stated purpose is to improve the health of individuals, communities, and society by promoting excellence in patient care, education, research, public health, and prevention relating to infectious diseases.
s:
The IDSA holds an annual meeting featuring presentations by experts in various aspects of infectious diseases, as well as original research abstracts and panel discussions. The IDSA also issues clinical practice guidelines, advocates the development of new antimicrobial drugs and attention to the problem of antibiotic resistance
, and promotes the scientific study of vaccination and access to important childhood vaccines. The Society sponsors the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), an organization of HIV
researchers and specialists, and funds research fellowships for junior investigators in infectious diseases.
, and in particular so-called "chronic Lyme disease", have proven to be controversial. The IDSA recommends against long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease, arguing that it is ineffective and potentially harmful. The American Academy of Neurology
and National Institutes of Health
similarly recommend against such treatment. However, some believe that chronic Lyme disease is responsible for a range of medically unexplained symptoms, sometimes in people without any evidence of past infection. Groups of patients, patient advocates, and physicians who support the concept of chronic Lyme disease have organized to lobby for recognition of this diagnosis, as well as to argue for insurance coverage of long-term antibiotic therapy. Such groups have been critical of the IDSA guidelines on Lyme disease. Both sides of the argument were outlined in the 2008 American documentary film Under Our Skin
.
In 2006, Connecticut Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal
announced an antitrust
investigation against the IDSA, accusing the IDSA Lyme disease panel of undisclosed conflicts of interest
and of unduly dismissing alternative therapies and "chronic" Lyme disease. Blumenthal's investigation was closed on May 1, 2008 without charges when the IDSA agreed to submit its guidelines for review by a panel of independent scientists and physicians. Views on the motivation and outcome of the investigation varied. Blumenthal's press release described the agreement as a vindication of his investigation and repeated his conflict-of-interest allegations. The IDSA pointed to the closure of the investigation without charges, and the fact that the medical validity of the IDSA guidelines was not challenged. The IDSA cited mounting legal costs and the difficulty of presenting scientific arguments in a legal setting as their rationale for accepting the settlement.
The Journal of the American Medical Association
described Blumenthal's investigation of the IDSA as an example of the "politicization of health policy" against the weight of scientific evidence, and voiced concern over a chilling effect on future decisions by medical associations.
Pursuant to their agreement with Blumenthal the IDSA Lyme Disease Guidelines Review Panel was convened in 2009. Prospective panelists were vetted by noted medical ethicist Howard Brody, MD, PhD, and excluded for conflict of interest if they reported more than $10,000 in income per year from treating patients for Lyme disease. The Final Report of the Review Panel, released on April 22, 2010, concurred with all recommendations published in the 2006 Guidelines, with unanimous votes on 68 of 69 recommendations reviewed. This report, which was generated after review of more than 1000 references including public input and testimony by experts, concurred with consensus statements by numerous American and European medical societies that "chronic Lyme disease" and "post Lyme syndrome" lack a definition and convincing biological evidence. Further, the report emphasized that several prospective clinical trials of prolonged antibiotic therapy for persistently symptomatic patients uniformly showed evidence of harm without convincing evidence of benefit.
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
s. As of 2010, IDSA had approximately 9,000 members. IDSA’s stated purpose is to improve the health of individuals, communities, and society by promoting excellence in patient care, education, research, public health, and prevention relating to infectious diseases.
Publications and activities
IDSA publishes the following medical journalMedical journal
A public health journal is a scientific journal devoted to the field of public health, including epidemiology, biostatistics, and health care . Public health journals, like most scientific journals, are peer-reviewed...
s:
- Clinical Infectious DiseasesClinical Infectious DiseasesClinical Infectious Diseases in a peer-reviewed medical journal published by Oxford University Press covering research on the pathogenesis, clinical investigation, medical microbiology, diagnosis, immune mechanisms, and treatment of diseases caused by infectious agents...
(http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/CID/) - Journal of Infectious Diseases (http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/JID/)
The IDSA holds an annual meeting featuring presentations by experts in various aspects of infectious diseases, as well as original research abstracts and panel discussions. The IDSA also issues clinical practice guidelines, advocates the development of new antimicrobial drugs and attention to the problem of antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance is a type of drug resistance where a microorganism is able to survive exposure to an antibiotic. While a spontaneous or induced genetic mutation in bacteria may confer resistance to antimicrobial drugs, genes that confer resistance can be transferred between bacteria in a...
, and promotes the scientific study of vaccination and access to important childhood vaccines. The Society sponsors the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), an organization of HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
researchers and specialists, and funds research fellowships for junior investigators in infectious diseases.
Lyme disease treatment guidelines
The IDSA's policies on the treatment of Lyme diseaseLyme disease
Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto is the main cause of Lyme disease in the United States, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most...
, and in particular so-called "chronic Lyme disease", have proven to be controversial. The IDSA recommends against long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease, arguing that it is ineffective and potentially harmful. The American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Neurology
The American Academy of Neurology is a professional society for neurologists and neuroscientists. As a medical specialty society it was established in 1949 by A.B. Baker of the University of Minnesota to advance the art and science of neurology, and thereby promote the best possible care for...
and National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
similarly recommend against such treatment. However, some believe that chronic Lyme disease is responsible for a range of medically unexplained symptoms, sometimes in people without any evidence of past infection. Groups of patients, patient advocates, and physicians who support the concept of chronic Lyme disease have organized to lobby for recognition of this diagnosis, as well as to argue for insurance coverage of long-term antibiotic therapy. Such groups have been critical of the IDSA guidelines on Lyme disease. Both sides of the argument were outlined in the 2008 American documentary film Under Our Skin
Under Our Skin
Under Our Skin: The Untold Story of Lyme Disease is a documentary film about Lyme disease, focusing on the controversy surrounding "chronic" Lyme disease. The film was directed by Andy Abrahams Wilson, who became interested in the subject after his sister contracted Lyme disease...
.
In 2006, Connecticut Attorney General
Connecticut Attorney General
The Connecticut Attorney General is the state attorney general of Connecticut.The Attorney General is elected to a four-year term. The current Attorney General is George Jepsen, a Democrat serving since January 5, 2011.-List of Attorneys General:...
Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal is the junior United States Senator from Connecticut and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he served as Attorney General of Connecticut....
announced an antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
investigation against the IDSA, accusing the IDSA Lyme disease panel of undisclosed conflicts of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
and of unduly dismissing alternative therapies and "chronic" Lyme disease. Blumenthal's investigation was closed on May 1, 2008 without charges when the IDSA agreed to submit its guidelines for review by a panel of independent scientists and physicians. Views on the motivation and outcome of the investigation varied. Blumenthal's press release described the agreement as a vindication of his investigation and repeated his conflict-of-interest allegations. The IDSA pointed to the closure of the investigation without charges, and the fact that the medical validity of the IDSA guidelines was not challenged. The IDSA cited mounting legal costs and the difficulty of presenting scientific arguments in a legal setting as their rationale for accepting the settlement.
The Journal of the American Medical Association
Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association is a weekly, peer-reviewed, medical journal, published by the American Medical Association. Beginning in July 2011, the editor in chief will be Howard C. Bauchner, vice chairman of pediatrics at Boston University’s School of Medicine, replacing ...
described Blumenthal's investigation of the IDSA as an example of the "politicization of health policy" against the weight of scientific evidence, and voiced concern over a chilling effect on future decisions by medical associations.
Pursuant to their agreement with Blumenthal the IDSA Lyme Disease Guidelines Review Panel was convened in 2009. Prospective panelists were vetted by noted medical ethicist Howard Brody, MD, PhD, and excluded for conflict of interest if they reported more than $10,000 in income per year from treating patients for Lyme disease. The Final Report of the Review Panel, released on April 22, 2010, concurred with all recommendations published in the 2006 Guidelines, with unanimous votes on 68 of 69 recommendations reviewed. This report, which was generated after review of more than 1000 references including public input and testimony by experts, concurred with consensus statements by numerous American and European medical societies that "chronic Lyme disease" and "post Lyme syndrome" lack a definition and convincing biological evidence. Further, the report emphasized that several prospective clinical trials of prolonged antibiotic therapy for persistently symptomatic patients uniformly showed evidence of harm without convincing evidence of benefit.