WASHINGTON D.C.—Did the U.S. Department of Defense experiment with ticks and other insects as biological weapons between 1950 and 1975?
A New Jersey Republican Congressman wants a review and report on that question to be conducted by the Inspector General of the DOD.
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Hamilton) sponsored the resolution that passed July 11 by voice vote during a debate on a defense authorization bill, the Roll Call newspaper of Washington D.C. reports.
The resolution says if the Inspector General finds that any experiment occurred, then a report must be submitted to Congress on its scope and “whether any ticks or insects used in such an experiment were released outside of any laboratory by accident or experiment design.”
The move came after a new book by Stamford University science writer Kris Newby claims to reveal connections between the scientist who discovered the bacterial pathogen that causes Lyme disease and “his secret role in developing bug-borne biological weapons…”
The book—“Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons”—was referenced by Smith at a town meeting in May, the Asbury Park Press reports.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, studies suggest around 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year in the United States. Cases are concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest, with 14 states—including New Jersey—accounting for over 96% of cases, the CDC says.
CDC currently recognizes 18 tick-borne pathogens in the United States; however, researchers and health care practitioners continue to discover emerging disease agents and new medical conditions associated with tick bites, according to a 2018 report to congress by the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group.