Day 4- Under Our Skin

Written by: Krista Petrolla, messy reader

Being a fan of documentary films, and particularly intrigued by those involving medical practice, I took it upon myself to view Under Our Skin Sunday evening. This movie was a total eye opener that really makes one second guess the role physicians assume upon taking the hippocratic oath.

Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness in which a bacteria called Borrelia Burgdorferi infects the host. The infected exhibit symptoms of rash, fever, fatigue, headache, and depression in the early stages of disease, but if left untreated, late manifestations involving the joints, nervous system, and heart can occur. Diagnosis of Lyme disease is primarily based on objective findings due to difficulty in culturing the pathogen. The prevalence of this illness is often overlooked, due to the fact that an abundant number of cases are misdiagnosed. Because symptoms of Lyme disease are so unspecific, Doctors commonly pass off the case as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, or other autoimmune diseases. Patients are left with inappropriate treatment, and the infection is not irradicated. Under Our Skin portrays dramatic tales of people battling Lyme disease, and it delves into how the disease impacts everyone involved in the medical community. It has been discovered that the authors of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines have neglected to publish effective treatment guidelines, misleading practitioners, and resulting in a growing epidemic. Several of the members of IDSA have stake in the manufacture of vaccines and pharmaceuticals that pose a conflict of interest in recognizing the severity of the the disease and consequences that result in neglecting to treat patients.

Controversy is at large, as long term antibiotic treatment is frowned upon due to issues of bacterial resistance. Several physicians have testified in court and laid their license on the line for the sake of treating patients to the fullest extent when suspecting Lyme disease. Some patients' lives have been saved, others incorrectly treated, altogether resulting in a financial burden due to an obvious lack of recognition by managed care. Other physicians fail to recognize the severity of the illness, leaving patients with no hope of leading a normal life, panic stricken as to what is ailing them.

This film really hits home when it comes to ethical issues in medical practice. As I am sure most of you have seen or heard about the documentary by Michael Moore, Sicko, this movie portrays the controversy involved in treating such a mysterious illness that many may not know much about. I, for one, will probably never leave my house again without spraying insect repellent on my skin first. Under Our Skin was intelligent and very interesting!