FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 14, 2016
QUEEN’S PARK – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett had the lead-off salvo in a late show 1-2 punch against government health policies.
Unsatisfied with an answer about the progress of his Private Member’s Bill Provincial Framework and Action Plan concerning Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases Act, Barrett followed up last Wednesday night during a late sitting of the Ontario Legislature. His question was followed by his caucus mate Michael Harris’ question in regards to funding for St. Mary’s Hospital.
“This stems from a private member’s bill which mandated action after one year of becoming law,” Barrett said in the Legislature. “Well, it’s now been a full year, something like a year and six days, since June 2, 2015, when the bill received royal assent. So we should have this framework from the Minister of Health; we should have this action plan as of June 2 of this year, which was six days ago.”
Barrett initially drafted the bill over concern if public health agencies are prepared for zoonotic diseases.
“Do we now have programs in place designed to not only accommodate some of the diseases that I mentioned, like Lyme disease and West Nile virus, but also any new threats—the possibility of the Marburg virus, the possibility of the Zika virus—arriving in our province?”
In the wake of Barrett’s initial question on Lyme, he received several e-mails from Lyme victims and their parents.
“Very recently, I learned one person spent $150,000 on treatment for their child,” he said during his statement. “There’s a sense of real desperation in these emails. They make it very clear: Ontario’s health care system failed them, with doctors who, in the worst cases, ridiculed them, and financial despair from paying American dollars to American health practitioners.
“I’ll quote one message I just received a couple of days ago: ‘Every time we cross the border, they lean in the window, when we explain we’re going for medical treatment, and they ask, ‘Well, who has Lyme?’’ That’s the assumption at the border. That’s how many Canadians cross to the US to get treatment.”
Barrett concluded his address by calling for government to assist those with Lyme.
“Social media has also been accused of communicating inaccurate medical information and pitches for dubious treatment, which has proven to be true in a number of cases. There’s also, on the other side of it, allegations of shortcomings in the diagnosis and the treatment of Lyme directed at mainstream medicine. This is why we have the various mechanisms and the institutions within our Ontario government. We have government for a reason.”
-30-
For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org
ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
OFFICIAL HANSARD
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Mr. Toby Barrett: I requested a late show because I really felt a more fulsome answer was in order for the questions last week concerning Lyme disease and other vector-borne diseases.
This stems from a private member’s bill which mandated action after one year of becoming law. Well, it’s now been a full year, something like a year and six days, since June 2, 2015, when the bill received royal assent. So we should have this framework from the Minister of Health; we should have this action plan as of June 2 of this year, which was six days ago.
The concern—and we live in a global society with changing environments. Diseases are changing. Those in charge need to be prepared, and so do the rest of us. When new or relatively unknown diseases advance, public health disease treatment systems are often found to be unprepared. Again, public health will scramble to respond, as do treatment systems, but, in many cases, with less than satisfactory success.
My question: Do we now have programs in place designed to not only accommodate some of the diseases that I mentioned, like Lyme disease and West Nile virus, but also any new threats—the possibility of the Marburg virus, the possibility of the Zika virus—arriving in our province?
Lyme victims continually tell me that diagnosis of what initially ailed them was not an easy task. Many have reported the health care system just is not there for them. Lyme disease victims often pay out of their own pocket to be not only diagnosed, but to be treated in the United States.
A private member’s bill, entitled the Provincial Framework and Action Plan concerning Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases Act, became law, as I said, a year ago in June. The law was designed to address some of the shortfalls in research and the shortfalls in our medical system, and to establish a framework and guidelines for dealing with these ailments and to establish guidelines for disseminating information and education.
I have a line from an email that was sent to me, actually, just after I asked this question. A victim contacted me. I’ve received a number of emails from people talking about travelling to the States and spending thousands of dollars. Very recently, I learned one person spent $150,000 on treatment for their child. There’s a sense of real desperation in these emails. They make it very clear: Ontario’s health care system failed them, with doctors who, in the worst cases, ridiculed them, and financial despair from paying American dollars to American health practitioners.
I’ll quote one message I just received a couple of days ago: “Every time we cross the border, they lean in the window, when we explain we’re going for medical treatment, and they ask, ‘Well, who has Lyme?’ That’s the assumption at the border. That’s how many Canadians cross to the US to get treatment.”
There’s obviously a lot of work to be done in respect to not only treatment, but just ongoing management and ongoing care—beyond any thought of a cure. The treatment of Lyme disease is really fraught with conflicting medical, scientific, political and social dimensions and disputes, long overdue for resolution. Social media has also been accused of communicating inaccurate medical information and pitches for dubious treatment, which has proven to be true in a number of cases.
There’s also, on the other side of it, allegations of shortcomings in the diagnosis and the treatment of Lyme directed at mainstream medicine. This is why we have the various mechanisms and the institutions within our Ontario government. We have government for a reason. The purpose of that legislation, which received royal assent well over a year ago—the deadline is now up for the mandated action. We have government for a reason: We have government to sort through the research, answer these kinds of questions and help resolve these kinds of questions for the lay public, who, in many cases, have nowhere to turn and no idea where to go. Thank you.
YOUTUBE VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwuYKUD-gc0&feature=youtube