Public Comment Period for IDSA/AAN/ACR
Draft Lyme Disease Guidelines Open Through Aug. 10

ARLINGTON, Va. – June 26, 2019 -- The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), and the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) have opened a public comment period for the draft of their joint guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease.

The draft guidelines are based on a systematic review of current evidence surrounding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease and are written with the goals of improving patient outcomes and ensuring patient safety.

The public comment period is open for 45 days, during which IDSA, AAN, and ACR are seeking input from the public, including professionals and patients. Those wishing to provide feedback can view the draft guidelines and submit their comments on the IDSA website. The deadline to submit comments is Aug. 10, 2019.

Feedback gathered during the public comment period will be taken into consideration by the guidelines panel, comprised of experts from 16 medical specialties, as well as patients, before the document is approved by IDSA, AAN and ACR and finalized for publication. For more information, visit the IDSA website.

About the organizations:

• The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is a community of over 11,000 physicians, scientists, and public health experts who specialize in infectious diseases. Its 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. 
• The American Academy of Neurology is the world’s largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with more than 36,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care.
• The American College of Rheumatology is an international medical society representing over 8,600 rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals with a mission to empower rheumatology professionals to excel in their specialty. In doing so, the ACR offers education, research, advocacy and practice management support to help its members continue their innovative work and provide quality patient care.