Lyme Disease Analysis - Essay Example

            The documentary film directed by Wilson (2008) entitled, “Under our Skin”, exposed the controversies regarding Lyme disease specifically with regards to treatment, vaccines, and the guidelines utilized by the healthcare system. At first, the manifestations divulged by those suffering from the disease were often ignored as shown in the film (Wilson, 2008). The tick-borne illness causes fevers, aches and other horrible symptoms that, for about ten percent of victims, last for months or more (Sohn, 2011).

            Prevention modalities such as vaccines were extensively utilized but there came a point that it faced a lot of hullabaloos. Doctors know a lot about Lyme and the bacteria that transmit it, yet there is no longer a human vaccine used at present for the reason that a series of unfortunate events doomed a first-generation human vaccine, which was removed from the market in 2002 (Sohn, 2011). The vaccine was formulated from a single protein on the surface of Borrelia burgdorferi and the sensitivity to such protein was supposed to bring about arthritis and other symptoms that show up in cases of chronic Lyme disease (Sohn, 2011). Hence, a lot of patient groups protested against this vaccine, and lawsuits followed along with plenty of bad publicity (Sohn, 2011).

            It is very disappointing that even though experts are knowledgeable enough to counteract the disease, it cannot be prevented which can be considered a failure in the group of Infectious Disease Experts. Moreover, Lyme disease was not considered a definite diagnosis at that time so health insurance companies do not cover the treatment for it. It was a very frustrating scenario for the individuals suffering from the disease for they were not provided the proper treatment they needed and they will just wait until their condition deteriorates.

            Such findings presented became an eye-opener for anyone who will be seeing the film; it challenges individuals, not only those in the medical field, to work hand in hand in fighting against the disease and to be advocates of those patients suffering from Lyme disease before it is too late.