The secret history of Lyme disease the US government doesn't want you to know | Unreported

Nearly half a million Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease every year, and ER tick bite visits are hitting the highest levels since 2017. So why does it feel like nobody is sounding the alarm? And why is Congress now ordering a federal watchdog to dig through decades of classified Cold War military records searching for answers?In this episode of "Unreported," Meagan Medick sits down with author Kris Newby, who wrote "Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons" and is a senior producer on the Oscar semi-finalist documentary "Under Our Skin." Together, they examine documented evidence that the U.S. government experimented on ticks as potential Cold War bioweapons, the whistleblower testimony of the scientist who discovered Lyme disease and why a mystery organism he identified in the original ticks was quietly removed from his discovery paper. They also dig into the Lone Star tick experiments that may have seeded the Northeast with nonnative species, the rise of meat allergies and why a new Lyme vaccine is already raising red flags. Plus: what the Cold War records investigation in Congress could uncover and who controls what gets released.#Lymedisease #ticks #biologicalweaponCREDITS:Host: Meagan MedickExecutive Producer: Andy Gipson, Meagan MedickSegment Producer: Christine JenkinsonAssociate Producer: Will TomasiEditor: Anthony DiasioNewsNation`s Unreported with Meagan Medick is built on the idea that some of the most important stories are the ones that don`t make the headlines. A seasoned network executive producer, Meagan brings a rare behind-the-scenes perspective to the front of the camera, taking the reins on stories she believes deserves more attention while asking questions other outlets often overlook or ridicule.Through thoughtful conversations with creators, experts, and insiders, this show cuts through the noise to make complicated, viral, fringe or misunderstood topics actually make sense. Exploring stories ranging from government coverups to A.I. to paranormal phenomena, to explaining the origins of conspiracy theories and other enduring mysteries.New episodes will premiere every Wednesday, offering bold perspectives on interesting stories that continue to spark widespread intrigue.NewsNation is your source for fact-based, unbiased news for all Americans. More from NewsNation: https://www.newsnationnow.com/ Get our app: https://trib.al/TBXgYpp Find us on your screen: https://www.joinnn.com/CHAPTERS::00 Intro2:48 Meet Kris5:06 Kris' Lyme disease diagnosis8:41 Neurological impacts9:55 Congressional push to review Cold War era records11:25 Weaponizing ticks15:10 Kris’ experiences with Willy Burgdorfer24:00 Engineering Lyme disease for a biological weapon28:00 ‘Ground zero patients’29:45 Lone Star tick radioactive experiments34:40 What happened at the Rocky Mountain lab?40:09 Tick boxes43:36 Red meat allergies48:07 Lyme disease vaccine51:25 Profit motives around illnesses58:38 Kris’ new book1:02:00 Final thoughts