Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will travel to the State House in Concord on Friday and announce actions to be taken by the federal Department of Health and Human Services against Lyme disease, part of a national tour targeting the tick-borne ailment.
Kennedy, secretary of the federal health department, has focused on Lyme disease recently, including a high-profile gathering in December of medical personnel and advocates who proposed a number of changes in the way the disease is diagnosed and treated.
Lyme disease, named after the Connecticut city where it was first identified, is one of several bacterial diseases transmitted by tick bites. It most often causes fatigue, joint pain and flu-like symptoms and can be difficult for tests to diagnose in early stages, leading to allegations from Kennedy and others that it is often overlooked.
Its prevalence in New England has surged in recent years as tick populations have expanded. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 476,000 people are diagnosed and treated nationwide each year and federal data suggest 5 to 7 million Americans have been infected over the past decade.
There is no vaccine available for the disease for humans, although one exists for dogs, and new vaccines are in development.
Kennedy will be joined by federal health officials, including representatives from the Surgeon General’s office, and New Hampshire lawmakers as part of his “Take Back Your Health” tour.
