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<p>The Government has not conducted an assessment of the adequacy of National Health
Service capability and capacity to diagnose Lyme disease or a comparative assessment
of best practice in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the United Kingdom,
the United States and Germany. Diagnosis of Lyme disease in England and Wales is conducted
by the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL). RIPL provides Lyme polymerase
chain reaction PCR testing and a comprehensive serological panel which has been fully
validated to UK Accreditation Service standards.</p><p>Published research, for example
the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, indicates that cellular tests for Lyme borreliosis
used by many private laboratories in Europe have a high false positive rate. A copy
of the VICTORY study in Lancet ID, is available at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00205-5.)</p><p>UK
Health Security Agency published accompanying guidance documents on Lyme disease in
July 2018, which describe the clinical signs and symptoms and are consistent with
the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. The guidance is available
at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/lyme-disease-management-and-prevention</p><p>Services
for the treatment of Lyme disease are commissioned locally. These services are the
responsibility of integrated care board and general practitioners use their professional
judgement in diagnosing and treating this condition.</p>
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