Current Information

11/05/2009 - Update to CDC Unexplained Dermopathy Investigation Website

"CDC’s CCID Board of Scientific Counselors met in November 2009 and was provided an update on the progress of the panel’s review (Preliminary Report on Progress of External Peer Review of CDC's Unexplained Dermopathy Project to the CCID Board of Scientific Counselors [PDF, 11 KB]). When CDC receives a report from the external review panel, it will be made available on this website."

Preliminary Report on Progress of External Peer Review of

CDC’s Unexplained Dermopathy Project

to the CCID Board of Scientific Counselors

November 4, 2009

In January 2008, CDC launched an epidemiologic investigation of an unexplained skin condition which some refer to as "Morgellons." The primary goals of the investigation are to help us learn more about who may be affected with this condition and the symptoms they experience and to generate hypotheses about factors that may contribute to it. Data collection has been completed and analysis is ongoing. This investigation was conducted out of the National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne, and Enteric Diseases’ (NCZVED) Division of Parasitic Diseases (DPD), with input from a cross-agency, multi-disciplinary workgroup. On September 24, 2009, DPD convened an external review panel to examine study activities to date and provide advice on future activities. DPD outlined several questions for the panel to address: 1. Have the project’s goals and priorities been addressed?

2. What are the study’s strengths?

3. What are the study’s limitations?

4. Are there gaps of concern or need for additional study?

5. What findings can be communicated to the public, medical community, and stakeholder community?

(Editors Note: Take a good look at #5 above. Who or what is the "stakeholder community?"

What findings need to be kept secret from the sufferers of this disease? Who has the right to determine how much truth should be withheld from anyone. Is this still The United States of America?)

6. What is the public health impact of this study?

7. What should the priorities be in the future?

The panel has not yet released a report of its findings to CDC. When we receive a report from the panel, we will share it with members of the BSC, along with the program’s response to the panel’s findings and recommendations. DPD and NCZVED leadership will meet with CDC leadership to discuss options for future program activities to address any issues raised by the panel, including considerations for potential organizational home for further research.

Updates

http://www.cdc.gov/unexplaineddermopathy/updates.html

November 5, 2009

On Wednesday, November 4, 2009, the following statement (Preliminary Report on Progress of External Peer Review of CDC's Unexplained Dermopathy Project to the CCID Board of Scientific Counselors [PDF, 11 KB]) was presented to CCID’s Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) meeting. The statement describes the External Peer Review Panel's process and progress in developing a preliminary report for CDC. The panel met in September to review CDC's Unexplained Dermopathy Project. Because this panel was convened only recently, the panelists need additional time to finalize their recommendations. The panel has said that it will submit its report as expediently as possible once it has completed its task of reviewing all aspects of the project that it was charged with reviewing. CDC will provide that report to the BSC members and post it online when it becomes available to us.

We are currently analyzing the data collected in the study. When data analysis is complete and results of the study are available, the findings will most likely be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and disseminated through other channels, to CDC’s public health partners, such as State and local health departments and medical societies, and through this website.

09/30/2009 - Update to CDC Unexplained Dermopathy Investigation Website

How will CDC communicate information about this condition and the findings from the study?

On September 24, 2009, CDC convened an external review panel made up of experts from the fields of dermatology, infectious diseases, public health, and mental health which examined the study activities to date and provided advice on future activities. The panel provided recommendations and guidance to CDC about analyses they think should be conducted on the data. A summary of the findings of the peer review panel will be presented to CDC’s CCID Board of Scientific Counselors in November 2009 and will be made available on this website.

In addition, results of this study will most likely be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and disseminated through other channels, to CDC’s public health partners, such as State and local health departments and medical societies, and through this website.

In December 2008, CDC mailed letters to state medical associations, in case they and their members received inquiries about this condition, in order to provide an update about CDC’s activities. Letter from CDC to medical association [PDF, 45 KB] We will provide an update to these organizations as well, when the study results are available.

09/10/2009 - CDC Announces; The Unexplained Dermopathy website has been updated and is now available.

National Library of Medicine - Medical Subject Headings

Recent Rense Morgellons Radio Specials:

MORGELLONS SPECIAL No. 21
Cliff Mickelson/Gwen Simmons
What Happened To CDC Morgellon's Investigation?
MP3 Audio File

MORGELLONS SPECIAL No. 20
Carnicom On Morgellon's
Morgellon's Research
MP3 Audio File

MORGELLONS SPECIAL No. 19
Carnicom On Morgellon's
Morgellon's Update MP3 Audio File