Romney advocates for quacks!
Including "doctors" who have been disciplined by medical boards.
Romney campaign embraces Lyme quackery.
Mitt Romney's campaign has distributed a flyer in Northern Virginia
pledging to fight Lyme disease, which it describes as a "massive
epidemic threatening Virginia." This strategy is intended to appeal
to voters by (a) scaring recipients into thinking that they and their
families need increased government efforts to protect them from an
imminent threat and (b) appealing to activists who promote the
dubious concept of "chronic Lyme disease." Several doctors who market
themselves as "Lyme specialists" have been disciplined by state
medical board for unprofessional conduct. The Romney flier advocates
providing "local physicians with protection from lawsuits to ensure
they can treat the disease with the aggressive antibiotics that are
required." Romney's interest appears to have been aroused by contact
with Michael Farris, a prominent conservative who believes that his
wife and seven children all suffer from chronic Lyme disease. The
wife's doctor reportedly is Joseph Jemsek, M.D., who, in 2009, moved
his practice to Washington, D.C. following disciplinary action by the
North Carolina Medical Board.
The flyer and links to related information are posted at
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/romney_lyme.html