At a Lyme disease symposium on Nov.12, State Sen. Andrew Dinniman criticized the medical profession and the Commonwealth for their inaction and reluctance to declare war on the "Lyme disease epidemic."

The symposium was held at the New Garden Township Building, and was hosted by Dinniman, Dr. Rachel Devine, M.D., and other medical experts who called Chester County the epicenter of Lyme disease in the Middle Atlantic area. Despite the passage of Act 83, which established a task force on Lyme disease and related tick-borne diseases, there were 2,357 Lyme cases in Chester County in 2014. The task force has produced a 64-page report with 18 recommendations.

Dinniman bemoaned the number of doctors who refuse to treat Lyme disease cases because of inadequate insurance reimbursement, and the general difficulties in diagnosis of Lyme. Dinniman challenged the medical community for a higher level of action, and advocated continued public demand for the government and researchers to eliminate Lyme.