UPDATE 8: What do the CDC, cell phones and Lyme have in common? The Democratic Republic of Congo. What does this mean?!? Let me explain. I worked in the Democratic republic of Congo (DRC) on a US-funded governance project. Many people are aware that violence against women in the DRC is extreme; it has been in the news. This violence was one of the issues I was asked to help address. After completing our literature review and finalizing our research methods, my Congolese team and I spent many weeks traveling the country. We traveled to learn from many stakeholders including rural men and women from different tribal groups, religious and traditional leaders, military, police, justices of the peace, school teachers, rural radio and other media staff, representatives from many grassroots organizations, local officials and so forth. You see, violence in the DRC is a complex issue. There are varying geographic, economic and cultural factors that affect how and why it is expressed… and how those concerned respond to these situations. Therefore, the solutions we generated were based on listening to and responding to those affected by this violence. These solutions were varied because they responded to particular and systemic conditions. What does this have to do with Lyme? Well, it depends on who you listen to. In the US and other many other countries, Lyme practitioners are dedicated frontline health professionals who treat thousands and thousands of suffering Lyme patients. Frontline Lyme physicians have been collecting data points over years by listening to their patients, responding with science-based treatments and observing how their patients respond to such treatments. This accumulation of knowledge has resulted in a diverse toolbox of treatments for the many complexities of the disease. The treatments are varied because they respond to the many differing manifestations, symptoms and systemic complications Lyme can cause. And…where exactly do the cell phones come in? Well, let’s return to the DRC and find out. When I returned from field work to Kinshasa, there happened to be a high profile US team staying at my hotel. They were in the DCR to address violence against women. They had spent 10 days looking into this situation and told me they had a solution. They told me the solution was cell phones; I thought they were joking. I started laughing very hard and then I realized no one else in the group was laughing…they were serious. They told me that if women had cell phones they would be able to warn others of danger and contact the police to come to their aid. Unfortunately, this simplistic solution has serious flaws. (1) Many rural women are rarely “permitted” to keep technology for personal use. Technology like cell phones are usually controlled by men even if they are given as gifts to women relatives. (2) Most rural families do not have much cash income and, for many of these families, the costs to maintain and pay for cell service is not sustainable. (3) There is insufficient cell infrastructure to make these viable communications tools in many areas of the DRC. (4) Who are you going to call? Sadly, the police and military have insufficient resources to reach most women in their moment of need. And, in some cases, may be part of the problem. This “Cell Phone Solution” parallels the simplistic CDC “solution” to the Lyme epidemic. CDC Lyme guidelines do not address the complexity of the disease. Furthermore, the guidelines do not match the reality of those most engaged and effected by the epidemic…the patients, their families and frontline Lyme practitioners. The Lyme epidemic has resulted in many thousands of people learning that Lyme is a complex and serious disease. Thousands of extremely ill and compromised patients - abandoned by doctors following the CDC Lyme guidelines - have responded to frontline practitioners’ innovative patient-centered treatments. More and more clinical researchers have been confirming, via ethical research, the ground truth of these patients and front-line practitioners. This responsiveness has created an evolving Lyme science. Whereas the CDC’s Lyme guidelines have not evolved for decades. And what is the CDC doing about their stagnant Lyme guidelines? Well, they keep handing out those cell phones… ….and grant monies to the same old researchers… …researchers who happen to be members of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA)… …the same IDSA members that wrote the stagnant Lyme Guidelines referenced on the CDC website… …and many of those are writing the next set of CDC Lyme Guidelines. Cell phones anyone? Thanks - Jenna