Senate passes legislation addressing Lyme disease

The state Senate recently passed Senate Bill 1188, legislation that would combat the long-term effects of Lyme and other tickborne diseases.

The bill would require the state Department of Health to work with East Stroudsburg University’s Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania to develop an electronic database for the department, the lab, and healthcare professionals.

Included in the database would be diagnostic testing information and results; nonidentifiable patient information such as tick testing information, results, and zip code and county location of ticks tested at the Tick Lab; and the surveillance criteria applied to determine a patient’s diagnosis from the attending health care professional.

In addition, the bill would provide coverage for doctor-recommended Lyme disease treatment, improve public awareness about tick bite prevention practices, promote education and awareness among health care professionals, and help control the tick population.

“Telling people to wear socks and white clothing in the woods is not enough,” said state Sen. Michele Brooks (R-Crawford/Mercer), who introduced the bill. “We need to support tick testing, research, and most of all, the treatments needed to help people who are suffering.”

Pennsylvania has the highest rate of Lyme disease cases in the United States. Between 2000 and 2021, there were more than 110,000 confirmed cases, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.