See other bills
under the
same topic
PRINTER'S NO. 502
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
89
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY FLYNN, PICKETT, DONATUCCI, ROTHMAN, SCHLOSSBERG,
READSHAW, KAUFFMAN, MILLARD, MURT, McNEILL, KORTZ, BERNSTINE,
CALTAGIRONE, BARRAR, HILL-EVANS, PASHINSKI, RADER, FREEMAN
AND T. DAVIS, FEBRUARY 19, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, FEBRUARY 19, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Urging the United States Food and Drug Administration to
promptly consider candidates for Lyme disease vaccinations
currently seeking approval under the drug approval process.
WHEREAS, Lyme disease threatens the quality of life of
residents of and visitors to this Commonwealth and poses a
significant economic burden on Pennsylvania and the United
States; and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia
burgdorferi and transmitted to humans through the bite of an
infected black-legged tick; and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-
borne illness in the United States, affecting 329,000
individuals each year; and
WHEREAS, Residents of and visitors to Pennsylvania are
especially vulnerable to Lyme disease and tick-borne diseases,
as evidenced by this Commonwealth's ranking as the leading state
in reported cases; and
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
WHEREAS, The number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease in
this Commonwealth has been rising since 2013; and
WHEREAS, Data from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention shows that there were approximately 9,250 confirmed
cases of Lyme disease in Pennsylvania in 2017, compared to 4,981
cases in 2013, which represents a near 50% increase over four
years; and
WHEREAS, Each of the 67 counties of this Commonwealth has
reported ticks infected with bacteria associated with Lyme
disease and other tick-borne diseases; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has taken important steps regarding
awareness, prevention and surveillance of Lyme disease by
establishing the Pennsylvania Task Force on Lyme Disease and
launching the "Don't Let a Tick Make You Sick" campaign; and
WHEREAS, In 2015, the Pennsylvania Task Force on Lyme Disease
issued a report which highlighted the significant economic
burden of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses on the
United States and Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, More than $1 billion in annual medical expenses in
the United States have been attributed to Lyme disease as well
as up to $10,000 per patient annually in lost productivity; and
WHEREAS, Patients with Lyme disease required 87% more visits
to the doctor and 71% more visits to the emergency room than
those patients without Lyme disease; and
WHEREAS, Too many residents of and visitors to this
Commonwealth have suffered the consequences of Lyme disease and,
without action, thousands more remain at risk; and
WHEREAS, While the Pennsylvania Task Force on Lyme Disease
remains an integral part of precautionary efforts, rising
statistics and costs represent the need to focus on preventative
20190HR0089PN0502 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
care and treatment; and
WHEREAS, Treatment options exist for individuals diagnosed
with Lyme disease but there is currently no vaccination on the
market despite one previously being available to consumers; and
WHEREAS, LYMErix, which was taken off the market in 2002 due
to lack of sales and mounting fears of side effects, was
developed by the company currently known as GlaxoSmithKline and
approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
in 1998; and
WHEREAS, Investigations conducted on LYMErix show no
difference in the incidence of adverse events, other than
hypersensitivity, between those individuals who received the
vaccine and those who did not; and
WHEREAS, Several groups of researchers are currently working
on new vaccines for Lyme disease; and
WHEREAS, Valneva, a global independent vaccine company,
announced in July 2018 that its vaccine candidate against Lyme
disease, VLA15, successfully concluded Phase 1 clinical trials
with the FDA and expects to enter Phase 2 clinical trials by the
end of 2018; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the United States Food and
Drug Administration to promptly consider candidates for Lyme
disease vaccinations currently seeking approval under the drug
approval process; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the United States Food and Drug Administration at 10903 New
Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20993-0002.
20190HR0089PN0502 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28