To members of the medical community, If you support this petition, please send your name, city, state and country to Lainie Hinnant, who is organizing the names on the list. lainiell@email.msn.com

Created March 17, 2001

Physicians' Petition to End Prejudicial Actions Against Doctors who Treat Lyme Disease and Other Complex Chronic Infections

At a time when 1.1 trillion dollars (14% of the GNP) is spent on health care, we still know too little about the cause of most diseases. Recent insights from theoretical biology, research and observations of community physicians have resulted in a growing body of evidence that chronic infections contribute significantly to the burden of disease, disability and impaired functioning. These infections may include viral, venereal and vector-borne diseases.

With regard to vector-borne diseases, the treatment of patients with complex chronic infections associated with tick-borne diseases is an area in which we are currently witnessing a collision between the traditional medical approach and the bias of special interest groups. A great quantity of credible scientific research and clinical observation supports a broader and more complex view of these diseases having the potential of advancing the understanding of medical illnesses. However, a narrower definition serves certain financial and other self-serving interests.

This bias is particularly noteworthy in the State of New York where a government agency, the Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC), appears to be engaging in a pattern of discrimination. Two prominent physicians, whose dedication has improved the health of many, have apparently become a threat to the insurance industry and other economic interests with political influence. The potential censure of these leading physicians by the OPMC in New York is a serious threat to the integrity and honesty of the entire health care system. Proceedings against these physicians should be stopped immediately.

As physicians and members of the medical community, we have known and trusted Joseph Burrascano, M.D. and Richard Horowitz, M. D. for many years. We have learned from them. They are role models to physicians who combine conservative medical approaches with insights from current scientific research. Many of us have or would entrust them with the health care of our friends, our families and ourselves.

We, the following physicians and other members of the medical community, demand an end to prejudicial actions against patients with tick-borne diseases, AIDS, other complex infectious diseases and the physicians who treat them. We also encourage a greater level of public awareness, legislative action, and legal intervention to correct these injustices. We assert the need to maintain a health care system that protects freedom, innovation, privacy, quality, ethics, access, cost effectiveness and individuality.

Signed,

Robert Bransfield, M.D.
Psychiatry
Red Bank, NJ

William Braden MD
Providence R.I.,USA

William T. Harvey, MD, MPH
Aerospace Medicine/Preventive Medicine
Houston, Texas,USA

Meryl Nass, MD
124 Wardtown Rd.,
Freeport, ME 04032
(207) 865-7000

Howard Posner,M.D.
111 Bala Avenue
Bala Cynwyd, Pa

Evelin Schrock, M.D.
Institute for Molecular Biotechnology
Beutenbergstrasse 11
D-07745 Jena
Germany
Tel.: 011-49-3641-65 64 88, 6481 (at work)

Lynn Shepler, MD JD
Mountain View, CA

Debra J. Solomon, M.D.
North Kingstown, RI, USA

Edward L.. McNeil , MB BS
(London) M.D.(NY) Punta Rassa, Florida

Marie Kroun, MD
Odense, Denmark

Valerie S. Schwob, MD
1419 Broadview Dr.
Bettendorf, IA  

Harold A. Smith MD FACEP
Montour State. PA

Raphael Stricker, MD
California Pacific Medical Center
450 Sutter Street Suite 1504
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: (415) 399-1035
Fax: (415) 399-1057

Charles Ladoulis MD
5 Grand Tour Locust, NJ 07760
732 291 9446 tel.
732 872 2797 fax

Mrs Laurence Meer-Scherrer, MD
Aumatt 6 CH-3175 Flamatt
Switzerland, EUROPE
Country medical office

Virginia Sherr, MD
Holland PA

Jeff Kopelson, MD
Brewster, NY

Richard Weiss, MD
Marina del Ray, CA


Rob Dickinson, MD
New York

Beatrice M. Szantyr, M.D.
Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
P.O. Box 549
Lincoln, ME 04457-0549
(207) 794-6405

Mark B. Weatherbee, O.D.
Optometry
6 High Street
Lincoln, ME 04457-0036
(207) 794-2020

Edward L.. McNeil , MB BS(London) M.D.(NY)
Punta Rassa, Florida

Marie Kroun, MD
Odense, Denmark

Harold A. Smith MD FACEP
Montour State. PA

Dr. Michael Cichon, 9804 N.56th Street
Temple Terrace, Fl. 33617

Jane Kelman, M.D.
New City, N.Y.

Werner F. von Lerber-Good, MD
Könizstrasse 3
CH 3008 BERN Switzerland

Saandra Tyner, MD
Grants Pass. OR, USA

Therese H. Yang, MD
10201 Mission Gorge Rd.
Santee, CA 92071

Richard David Brand, MD
New City NY

Jane Kelman, MD
New City, NY

Danielle Haber, MD
New Hyde Park, NY 11040

Anthony L. Lionetti, M.D.
Augusta Professional Center
Suite1 854 S.White Horse Pike
Hammartton, NJ 08037
609-567-8114

Wesley P. Kozinn, M.D.
Infectious Disease
Easton, PA

Ed Masters, M.D.
Cape Gerardiun, MO.
573-471-7456

Susan Beaven, M.D.
1160 San Carlos
St. Petersberg, FL

Sabra M. Bellovin, M.D.
1301 Rodman Ave
Portsmouth, VA 23707
(757)-399-2226

Charles Ray Jones, M.D.
New Haven, CT.

Bernard D. Raxlen, M.D.
Neuropsychiatry
Greenwich, CT.

Richard Heck, M.D.
Pediatrics
Great Barrington, MA.

John Drulle, M.D.
702 Brewers Bridge Rd
Jackson, NJ
732-905-9630

Ray Breindbach, M.D.
Waterfront, MI

Ardith Bondi, M.D.
New York, NY

Edward L. McNeil, M.D.
Ft. Meyers, FL

A. Burkhart, M.D.
Kailua, HI

Al Burkhart, M.D.
Kailua, HI

Andre Posner, D.O.
Philadelphia, PA

Dr. Hamid Moayad, D.O.
Bedford Tx USA

Andre Posner, D.O.
409 s. 11th st., apt 1-f
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Sandra K. Berenbaum, CSW-R,BCD
Family Connections Ctr for Counseling
1323 Route 9-Suite 101A
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
(845) 297-0024

M. Lyne Canon, CSW-R, BCD
Family Connections Ctr for Counseling
1323 Route 9-Suite 101A
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590

Marci Linker, OTR/L
Northampton, MA

Terri Blair, L.P.C.
465 Sairs Ave., Apt. 9
Long Branch, New Jersey 07740

Jerahme Posner
4th year medical student
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, NY 10461

Arlene C Toma DC CCSP
Little Silver, NJ

Rita L. Stanley, Ph.D.
Portland, OR

Joachim Gruber, PhD Immune Response Modeling
Tieloh 23 Hamburg, Germany

Roger Knudson, Ph.D.
Allentown, PA
USA

Roger Knudson, Ph.D.
Allentown, PA
USA

Joseph W. Lenz, Ph.D.
Clinical Health Psychologist
2430 McKenzie Avenue
Bellingham, Washington 98225 USA

David W. Austin Ph.D.
P O Box 723 Chino Valley, AZ

Nick S. Harris, PhD, ABMLI
Palo Alto, CA 94303

Joachim Gruber, PhD Immune Response Modeling
Tieloh 23 Hamburg, Germany

Roger Knudson, Ph.D.

M. Alexandra Sumerlin, D. V. M.
Altamonte Springs, FL

Martha Agricola RN
Family Nurse Practitioner
Block Island, Rhode Island 02807

Francine Brancatella RN
Westfield, NJ USA

Mary J.Kineavy RN
So.Boston MA.USA

Theresa Messina RN
Beverly MA.USA

Patricia A. Smith RN
Montour County, State PA, USA

Kathy Worthington R.N.
Medford, NJ 08055 U.S.A.

Barbara L. Fitzmaurice, R.N.
Freeland, Michigan

Joyce S Blossom MS, MA. RN, CS
Box 408
Nyack, NY 10960
845-353-2475

Mary Kineavy RN
South Boston MA USA

Theresa Messina RN
Beverly MA USA

Joan Petty RN, CS, NPP
New York, NY 

Constance E. Dickey RN
Hampden, Maine 04444

Laurel Alberts, RN
New Hampshire

Anthony & Carin Williams RNs
Paramus, NJ

VincentT. Geraci, D.O.
Medical Director
Family Physician
27 Cassa Loop
Holtsville, NY 11742
(516) 314-9975

Leornard Schuchman, D.O., M.P.H.
West Jersey Medical Plaza
Marlton,NJ 08054
856-797-8866

John V. Plana, Ph.D.
Dept. of Pathology and Anatomy
UNT-Health Science Center
3500 Camp Bowie Blvd
Ft. Worth, Tx 76107
(817)-735-2397

Rachel Dildilian, R.N.

Hyde Park, NY

Constance A Bean, M.P.H.

15 Timber Lane

Wayland, Mn

Catherine Polk RNC, MS, ANP

Regina Wrenn
Neurochemistry Research Assistant
Neurophysiology Technician
Nursing (RN) Graduate
New York, NY

Nancy Martin, M.A. LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Farmington, CT 06032

Lainie Hinnant, LCSW Richmond, VA 23233
 
Dr. Karl Bechter. CA PD
Dept. Psychosomatics/Psychotherapy (head PD Dr. K. Bechter)
of the Dept. Psychiatry II, University of Ulm (head Prof. Dr. R. Schüttler)
Ludwig-Heilmeyer-Str. 2
D-89312 Günzburg /Germany
Telefon: +49-8221 / 96-2540
Telefax: +49-8221 / 96-2736

Marty Bacsik
Physician Assistant
18 years Family Practice
Langhorne, PA 19047

Roberta Aida, Certified Medical Assistant
West Caldwell, NJ