Bay Area Lyme Spotlight Series
By Charlotte Mao, MD, MPH, Bay Area Lyme Foundation
“Chronic Lyme Disease patients have been ignored for too long. That must end now.”
– Charlotte Mao, MD, MPH
A Long-Overdue Moment of Recognition
Starting in 2026, Lyme disease and other tick-borne disease patients and their families have some reason to be encouraged by the growing recognition of the realities they face and the prospect of continued research to support new diagnostics and treatments.
The December 15, 2025, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) roundtable marked something rare and long overdue: federal recognition of patient need, grounded in scientific evidence presented by researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates. But patients need more than another moment of recognition. They need results. In 2026, the question is whether that recognition will translate into sustained action, measurable progress, and real improvements in care.