April 1, 2003

Washington, D.C. — Yale University School of Medicine will receive a $448,386 federal grant to fund research on a potential vaccine for Lyme Disease, Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman announced today. Based in Connecticut, the state with the most Lyme Disease infections in the country, the study will focus on disrupting the feeding process of disease-carrying ticks in order to prevent infection.

“Lyme disease may be spread by tiny ticks but it has a large and devastating impact on its victims,” said Dodd. “It’s absolutely essential we do everything in our power to reach out to and assist those already grappling with this insidious disease, increase resources on research, and ultimately ensure that we work to prevent future infections.”

“This disease takes a heavy toll on its victims physically, emotionally and financially,” Lieberman said. “Connecticut citizens are at a higher risk for Lyme Disease than are most other Americans, so I am especially grateful that this study will get the federal funding it needs to help us prevent future infections.”

The grant, awarded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, will further scientists’ efforts to find alternative means of preventing infection. The effects of Lyme Disease can include facial paralysis, joint swelling, liver malfunction, irregular heartbeat and memory loss. The disease is often difficult to diagnose since the “bull’s eye” rash around the bite sometimes goes unnoticed and later symptoms can mimic other diseases. Costs for long-term treatment can exceed $100,000 per person.

Nearly 18,000 Americans contracted Lyme disease in 2000 alone, more than a 70 percent increase since 1992 and an exponential increase since 1982, when only 500 cases were reported. Residents in Connecticut are 10 times more likely to contract the disease than anywhere else in the nation. Connecticut reported more than 3,700 cases in 2000. The disease was named for the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, where it first achieved prominence. Dodd and Lieberman have both been longtime advocates of increased awareness and funding for research on Lyme Disease.

In 2001, Senators Dodd and Santorum introduced S. 969, the Lyme and Infectious Disease Information and Fairness (LIIFT) Act. Senator Lieberman is also a co-sponsor. This bipartisan legislation, passed by the Senate in October of last year, would have established a five-year Lyme disease initiative to improve detection, prevention, and surveillance efforts as well as educate the public and physicians about the disease.

The legislation sought to promote patient involvement in the battle against Lyme disease at the federal level by establishing an advisory committee made up of both public and federal members. Additionally, the primary federal agencies involved in Lyme disease research and education would have been required to improve the ways in which they share information, streamlining the process and allowing the best use of resources. Senators Dodd and Santorum plan to reintroduce the LIIFT Act in the 108th Congress.

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