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HALIFAX, N.S. —

A recent tweet by Nova Scotia’s top doctor dismissing chronic Lyme disease as a pseudoscience supported by a cult following appears to violate the province’s social media policy, says a Dalhousie University law professor.

“What I also don’t understand is what does he really mean by the retweet,” said Wayne Mackay, an expert in public interest law.

“There’s a significant amount of public concern over it that he does need to make a statement of his motivations behind the retweet.”

Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, has declined several requests from The Chronicle Herald for comment. Strang has not removed the controversial tweet he retweeted last Wednesday from an account named LymeScience.

The province’s social media policy includes a number of guideline that all government employees are required to abide by. Two of those guidelines instruct employees engaging in social media to “always maintain a respectful, constructive tone and always provide accurate and clear information that cannot be easily misinterpreted, and refrain from debates over matters of strict opinion.”

Strang’s retweet was met with sharp criticism by local Lyme disease advocates and a Lyme disease expert who accused Strang of stoking fears and spreading incorrect information. Vett Lloyd, a biology professor at Mount Allison University and one of Canada’s top tick experts, also said the tweet publicly belittled and trivialized those suffering with the disease.

The province’s social media policy says that violations of policy guidelines could result in dismissal. The Herald inquired with the province about whether it deemed Strang violated the policy and if he might be facing discipline.

Brian Taylor, a spokesman with Communications Nova Scotia, suggested Strang wouldn’t face discipline because the province’s top doctor was expressing his personal views, not those of the province.

“While government does not regulate how public servants express their personal views on their own social accounts and in private lives outside their official role, they should be mindful of how their words may be interpreted publicly,” said Taylor.

MacKay said Strang should not have used Twitter to share such a controversial policy statement.

“The main message critics were taking is that this tweet itself, and you retweeting it, gives credibility to the idea that anyone who believed that there is a Lyme disease crisis is part of a cult.

“Normally you wouldn’t consider a university professor a member of a cult. Dr. Vett Lloyd appears credible on these issues.”

Strang has refused to admit the existence of chronic Lyme disease, a condition that describes persistent cases of Lyme that remain after short-term antibiotic treatment. A growing number of physicians and researchers in North America claim it does and also requires long-term antibiotic treatment.

Critics of Strang’s retweet also criticized the source of his information, LymeScience.org. The website offers a slew of information attempting to debunk chronic Lyme disease. But the website is not affiliated to any particular person or group. MacKay says Strang and the government ought to know that his health-related tweets carry significant weight, especially in this case.

“It seems to be that most people assume rightly or wrongly that if you retweet something you probably have some agreement with it and you’re in charge of overseeing public health in the province.

“He’s a serious, experienced person in that position. One would think he would have a pretty good idea of what the implications might be.”

Tory health critic Karla MacFarlane agrees. She’s also calling on Strang to publicly account for his tweet. If not, Health Minister Randy Delorey should take responsibility for the tweet. Delorey could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

“Dr. Strang should respond with context and if not, perhaps he should apologize and remove it,” said MacFarlane. “The minister has to step up to the plate and take responsibility and he’s the one who oversees the chief medical officer of health.”

She says she believes chronic Lyme disease exists. She says Strang and Delorey’s silence represents a larger problem, that the province doesn’t currently have an effective strategy to combat the growing problem of Lyme disease.

“Lyme disease is truly real. We all know someone who either has it or is dealing with it ...

“I have friends going to Maine to be treated because there is no actual strategy in Nova Scotia,” said MacFarlane. “I hope the minister will take this tweet as a reminder that we seriously need to have a healthy and respectful conversation around Lyme disease in Nova Scotia.”

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