Washington, Jul 16, 2012 - The battle against Lyme disease is the topic of a congressional hearing entitled “Global Challenges in Diagnosing and Managing Lyme Disease - Closing Knowledge Gaps” which will be held Tuesday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees international global health issues.

    Smith, who is the sponsor of the federal legislation H.R. 2557 to expand federal efforts on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through the establishment of a Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee, also co-chairs the House Lyme Disease Caucus.

    Who:   Congressman Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights); other invited Members; Stephen W. Barthold, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of the Dept. of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Center of Comparative Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine at the Univ. of California; Raphael Stricker, M.D., Vice President of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society; Mark Eshoo, Ph.D. Director, New Technology Development, Abbott;  Patricia Smith, President, Lyme Disease Association,  Evan White, Lyme disease Patient, and; Stella Huyshe-Shires Chair, Lyme Disease Action.

When: Tuesday, July 17, 2 p.m.

Where: Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building.