Dr. Joseph Jemsek

  
 

 

  
 

From The National Capital Lyme Disease Association (NATCAPLYME.ORG)

A Personal NatCapLyme Appeal for Dr. Jemsek

We are again in a situation where our participation both as an organization and as individual members in a medical hearing will play a critical role in the continued treatment of Chronic Lyme patients. Dr. Joseph Jemsek, an Infectious Disease physician is to appear before the North Carolina Medical Board to defend his ability to practice medicine in that state on June 14, 2006. This hearing is critical and different from Dr. Zackrison’s in that it is past the investigation stage; the purpose is to decide whether his license should be revoked, terminating his ability to practice medicine.

Dr. Jemsek is an extremely important figure in the Lyme treatment controversy. He is only one of two Infectious Disease Physicians in the country who has taken the challenge of treating the chronic Lyme community outside the current IDSA guidelines. That means he will prescribe long-term antibiotic treatment. He has never been a doctor afraid of controversy and will treat patients refused by other doctors. He has a passion for understanding this disease and helping those it afflicts.

The charges against him are similar to those we have seen brought against other physicians who have been exonerated by medical boards. No matter which side of the treatment controversy you reside, Dr. Jemsek’s conduct does not warrant taking away his the ability to practice medicine.

To lose this prominent physician would be detrimental to the Lyme community and would lead to loss of long term antibiotic treatment. More importantly, we would also lose an advocate for the important scientific research that needs to be done to find a cure for this devastating disease.

We appeal to all our members, their families and friends to make a concerted effort to attend the first day of this Hearing, scheduled June 14 - 16, 2006 in Raleigh, N.C. Show support for Dr. Jemsek at his hearing! Dr. Jemsek has been there for so many and he accepted the risk to treat us. At this critical time we must return the good deed by showing our support for him. Your presence at this hearing will make a difference for you and your family and Dr. Jemsek as well as the many Lyme patients that will come after you.

PLEASE, RSVP to NatCapLyme@natcaplyme.org and let us know that you will join us at Dr. Jemsek’s hearing. We will send travel and lodging information and directions, and will assist in forming car pools with the Hope-to-Heal-Lyme and East Loudoun County Lyme organizations.

Send your own letter of appeal

Click to sign petition in support of Dr. Jemsek

Dr. Jemsek's charges are public record and can be viewed by clicking here

Information provided by: The National Capital Lyme Disease Association, P.O. Box 8211, McLean, VA 22106-8211, www.natcaplyme.org
 

  
 

NOTE TO MEDICAL BOARDS AND PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS:


Children (or anyone) simply cannot wait 6 months for treatment just because criteria call for a physician to stare someone in the face before he or she can be diagnosed and treated! IMMEDIATE LYME DISEASE TREATMENT IS CRITICAL TO PREVENTING NEUROLOGIC LYME DISEASE---WHICH DESTROYS ITS PATIENTS' LIVES. Children are our most valuable resource and to wait to treat them to satisfy some misguided criteria is a tragedy THAT IS WHOLLY UNNECESSARY!

LYME IS NOT A 30-DAY TREATMENT AND YOU ARE CURED DISEASE!

It is the beginning of a life-long struggle for wellness and eradication of a smart-bug, with many different forms and the ability to adapt to its host environment under adverse conditions. This is not a common cold virus, this is a devastating disease with long-term, far-reaching consequences if not treated absolutely immediately! Physicians across the United States are missing Lyme disease and instead, diagnosing every other illness under the sun, in the name of good intentions. Even prominent organizations are repeatedly missing Lyme disease in their patients. Following the CDC criteria or a negative Lyme "test" is the wrong way to diagnose Lyme disease, as testing is unreliable in many phases of the disease, and at most testing laboratories which are not trained in the proper testing techniques to detect Lyme. Patients with chronic or long-term Lyme are not a rarity but are quickly becoming the rule, and not the exception, due to physicians' misdiagnoses and refusal to treat Lyme.

The process of discrimination of our Lyme-literate doctors is a travesty and every means of support for these physicians is being called upon at this time to end this abuse. These doctors are following the ILADS treatment guidelines, which are guidelines set by experienced, licensed physicians who know how to identify and treat Lyme disease.

START PROSECUTING DOCTORS WHO REFUSE TO DIAGNOSE AND TREAT LYME DISEASE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!

 

While patients are currently on trial and being discriminated against for having Lyme disease (read "The Singing Forest, A Journey Through Lyme Disease" by PJ Langhoff, www.lulu.com/lyme)
 

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