25 February 2011
A summary of recent M.E. related stories in the news. Headlines appearing in the media as dated.
Not offering a cure for this illness
Today The Times has printed an edited version of a letter from Sir Peter Spencer, sent to them earlier this week. The edited version focuses on pointing out that the PACE Trial did not compare psychological treatments with pharmacological ones, and that the treatments that were looked at did not offer any sort of cure. Other letters published are from Pam Tull, saying that her M.E. improved after homeopathic remedies, and another from Veronica Jones saying that it was a black day for people with M.E. when it was included under the umbrella term “chronic fatigue syndrome”.
Read the full version of the letter Action for M.E. sent to The Times.
The Times, p 26
25/02/11
Science must find a cure
Letter from Sir Peter Spencer, Action for M.E., saying that people affected by M.E. won’t be surprised to read that the PACE Trial, published in The Lancet, has found current treatments to be, at best, only moderately effective. NICE must bear in mind that the specialist expertise and safeguards which apply to controlled research do not apply across the NHS as a whole. The Medical Research Council must spend the £1.5m earmarked for research on M.E. on finding the cause of this illness.
Evening Telegraph (Peterborough), p 12
22/02/11
As above:
Garstang Courier, p 6
23/02/11
South Yorkshire Times, p 6
24/02/11
Truths about therapy
Letter from Jane Colby, The Young ME Sufferers Trust, talking about the PACE Trial. She says in her practical experience she’s found children with M.E.’s symptoms are exacerbated with graded exercise.
guardian.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/24/truth-about-exercise-and-therapy
24/02/11
Wish 143
Tom Bidwell, who survived cancer and 15 and now has M.E. has been nominated for an Oscar for his short film ‘Wish 143’.
The Guardian, G2, p 10 – 12
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/feb/24/oscar-nomination-tom-bidwell-short-film
24/02/11
Belle and Sebastian
Stuart Murdoch, music’s Belle and Sebastian leader, has published his diaries. He talks about chronic fatigue syndrome as the batteries going in my legs”.
NME, p 42
26/02/11
Fighting fatigue
Articles about fatigue including how to fight it and the Lightning Process.
Women’s Fitness, p 96 – 100
01/03/11
Exercise therapy
Letter from Dr John Greensmith, MEFreeForAll.org, talking about M.E. and graded exercise therapy.
The Press (York), p 8
19/02/11
The information contained within each press summary is provided for your personal information only. It does not necessarily reflect the views of Action for M.E.
