Under Our Skin
Encyclopedia
Under Our Skin: The Untold Story of Lyme Disease (2009
) 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. The film had its theatrical premiere on June 19, 2009 at the IFC Center
in New York City
.
The film argues that persistent infection with Lyme disease is responsible for a variety of debilitating symptoms. The film presents advocates of the position, including International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal
, and Center for Science in the Public Interest
. The position is at odds with that of major medical bodies including the Infectious Diseases Society of America
and the American Academy of Neurology
, who do not recognize "chronic" Lyme disease as a legitimate diagnosis. The film portrays the Infectious Diseases Society of America
as a group laden with conflicts of interest and briefly discusses Richard Blumenthal
's antitrust charges against the society. The film, described by the New York Times as "inflammatory" and "polemic", shows individual patients responding to long-term antibiotic treatment and portrays the IDSA as "an organization riddled with conflicts of interest."
Variety
noted that the film "sides with those advocating unconventional treatments, [but] gives gatekeepers
from Infectious Diseases of America [sic, actually Infectious Diseases Society of America] their say."
who report chronic symptoms, which they attribute to persistent Lyme infection. The majority of the film is devoted to the storyline of these patients and their reported recovery. At the same time, the film presents advocates of long-term therapies for chronic Lyme disease and briefly presents the position of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
(IDSA).
The second half of the film focuses primarily on state medical board investigations of Joseph Jemsek and Ray Jones, two physicians who prescribe long-term antibiotics for "chronic" Lyme disease. Jemsek was investigated based on the complaints of 10 patients who described "nightmarish experiences" as a result of his treatment; he was supported by a number of patients and Lyme disease advocacy organizations. The board found that Jemsek had departed from standard medical practice and had failed to inform patients that his treatments were unorthodox; his medical license
was suspended with stay, allowing him to continue practicing medicine. Facing a lawsuit from an insurance company, Jemsek declared bankruptcy and closed his medical practice.
The final act of the film focuses on Connecticut Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal
's antitrust
investigation of the IDSA Lyme disease guidelines. Blumenthal issued a press release in May 2008 stating that his investigation "uncovered serious flaws" in the development of the IDSA guidelines, although Blumenthal declined to file any charges. Under pressure of mounting legal fees, the IDSA agreed to submit its Lyme disease guidelines to an independent review, which supported the scientific validity of the IDSA guidelines. The case was described in Forbes as "intimidation" of the medical community by the Attorney General, and in JAMA
as an example of "elected officials advocating for health policies against the weight of scientific evidence." The film concludes with vignettes of two patients discussing their recoveries.
, Under Our Skin is certified "fresh". As of January, 2010, the film has received 23 positive reviews and 5 negative reviews for a fresh score of 82%. The film has a higher rating among top critics at 89%.
On November 18, 2009, the Academy Awards announced Under Our Skin as one of 15 finalists in the Documentary Feature category. The film was selected as a finalist from 89 qualifying documentaries. The film did not go on to receive an Oscar nomination.
Finalist, Audience Choice Award, Tribeca Film Festival
(World Premiere)
Winner, Best Documentary, Houston International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Durango Independent Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Sonoma International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Camden International Film Festival
Winner, Audience Award, Durango Independent Film Festival
Winner, Health & Science Category, CINE Golden Eagle Awards
Winner, Infectious Diseases Category, Int'l Health & Medical Media Awards
Winner, Best Cinematography, Int'l Health & Medical Media Awards
Winner, Chris Award, Columbus International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary Silver Award, Asheville Film Festival
Winner, Honorable Mention, Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival
Runner-up, Audience Award, Berkshire International Film Festival
Nominee, Best Socially Conscious Documentary, IFP/Fledgling Fund
Official Selection for 15 other festivals
2009 in film
The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
) is a documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about Lyme disease
Lyme 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...
, 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. The film had its theatrical premiere on June 19, 2009 at the IFC Center
IFC Center
IFC Center is an art house movie theater in Greenwich Village, New York City in the United States of America. It is located at 323 Sixth Avenue, on the former site of the Waverly Theater, which was itself a well known art house movie theater...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The film argues that persistent infection with Lyme disease is responsible for a variety of debilitating symptoms. The film presents advocates of the position, including International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), Connecticut Attorney 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....
, and Center for Science in the Public Interest
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Center for Science in the Public Interest is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit watchdog and consumer advocacy group focusing on nutritional education and awareness.-History and funding:...
. The position is at odds with that of major medical bodies including the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Infectious Diseases Society of America
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a medical association representing physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. As of 2010, IDSA had approximately 9,000 members...
and 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...
, who do not recognize "chronic" Lyme disease as a legitimate diagnosis. The film portrays the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Infectious Diseases Society of America
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a medical association representing physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. As of 2010, IDSA had approximately 9,000 members...
as a group laden with conflicts of interest and briefly discusses 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....
's antitrust charges against the society. The film, described by the New York Times as "inflammatory" and "polemic", shows individual patients responding to long-term antibiotic treatment and portrays the IDSA as "an organization riddled with conflicts of interest."
Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
noted that the film "sides with those advocating unconventional treatments, [but] gives gatekeepers
Gatekeepers
A gatekeeper is a person who controls access to something, for example via a city gate. In the late 20th century the term came into metaphorical use, referring to individuals who decide whether a given message will be distributed by a mass medium....
from Infectious Diseases of America [sic, actually Infectious Diseases Society of America] their say."
Plot summary
The film follows six individuals including major league ball player Ben PetrickBen Petrick
Benjamin Wayne Petrick is a former Major League Baseball player.Petrick, who was born in Salem, Oregon, was a highly accomplished athlete while attending Glencoe High School in Hillsboro, Oregon...
who report chronic symptoms, which they attribute to persistent Lyme infection. The majority of the film is devoted to the storyline of these patients and their reported recovery. At the same time, the film presents advocates of long-term therapies for chronic Lyme disease and briefly presents the position of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Infectious Diseases Society of America
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a medical association representing physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. As of 2010, IDSA had approximately 9,000 members...
(IDSA).
The second half of the film focuses primarily on state medical board investigations of Joseph Jemsek and Ray Jones, two physicians who prescribe long-term antibiotics for "chronic" Lyme disease. Jemsek was investigated based on the complaints of 10 patients who described "nightmarish experiences" as a result of his treatment; he was supported by a number of patients and Lyme disease advocacy organizations. The board found that Jemsek had departed from standard medical practice and had failed to inform patients that his treatments were unorthodox; his medical license
Medical license
In most countries, only persons with a medical license bestowed either by a specified government-approved professional association or a government agency are authorized to practice medicine. Licenses are not granted automatically to all people with medical degrees...
was suspended with stay, allowing him to continue practicing medicine. Facing a lawsuit from an insurance company, Jemsek declared bankruptcy and closed his medical practice.
The final act of the film focuses on 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....
's 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 of the IDSA Lyme disease guidelines. Blumenthal issued a press release in May 2008 stating that his investigation "uncovered serious flaws" in the development of the IDSA guidelines, although Blumenthal declined to file any charges. Under pressure of mounting legal fees, the IDSA agreed to submit its Lyme disease guidelines to an independent review, which supported the scientific validity of the IDSA guidelines. The case was described in Forbes as "intimidation" of the medical community by the Attorney General, and in JAMA
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 ...
as an example of "elected officials advocating for health policies against the weight of scientific evidence." The film concludes with vignettes of two patients discussing their recoveries.
Critical reception
According to meta-critic review site Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, Under Our Skin is certified "fresh". As of January, 2010, the film has received 23 positive reviews and 5 negative reviews for a fresh score of 82%. The film has a higher rating among top critics at 89%.
On November 18, 2009, the Academy Awards announced Under Our Skin as one of 15 finalists in the Documentary Feature category. The film was selected as a finalist from 89 qualifying documentaries. The film did not go on to receive an Oscar nomination.
Awards and honors
Finalist, 82nd Annual Academy Awards, Documentary FeatureFinalist, Audience Choice Award, Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
(World Premiere)
Winner, Best Documentary, Houston International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Durango Independent Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Sonoma International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Camden International Film Festival
Winner, Audience Award, Durango Independent Film Festival
Winner, Health & Science Category, CINE Golden Eagle Awards
Winner, Infectious Diseases Category, Int'l Health & Medical Media Awards
Winner, Best Cinematography, Int'l Health & Medical Media Awards
Winner, Chris Award, Columbus International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary Silver Award, Asheville Film Festival
Winner, Honorable Mention, Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival
Runner-up, Audience Award, Berkshire International Film Festival
Berkshire International Film Festival
The Berkshire International Film Festival was founded in 2005 by Kelley Vickery inGreat Barrington, Massachusetts. The four-day festival features independent films for filmmakers and film aficionados, with showings of features, documentaries, shorts, and animation—as well as panel discussions and...
Nominee, Best Socially Conscious Documentary, IFP/Fledgling Fund
Official Selection for 15 other festivals