Article : Medicine is Political

Title : Medicine is Political
Link : https://www.fast.ai/2021/10/12/medicine-political/

Article mentions ME/CFS and Covid as well as some other conditions.

Opening paragraph :

 

None of it is a surprise for us, we have seen it all before. I once reviewed a book that discussed these tactics going back to the 60s in other fields and then moving to ME. What is different this time is that this level of disability may severely impact labour markets. If employers cannot find employees to work for them then we may see major changes in the political landscape. For me the price is too high, the downside too down, but I do welcome the upside in that post pathogen syndromes will garner more respect, and hence funding.

The open acknowledgement of the politics of disability research is welcome. I have been trying to make similar points over the years, but when I raise them with scientists they retreat into logic and data. Politics is often alien to the scientific mindset. It was to me. I hope that this time more will realize that a major problem in science is political interference.

 

Incisive article warning of anti-science machinations around the portrayal of longcovid exemplified by precedents in climate denial and the treatment of AIDS and ME/CFS.

Its an important warnng in a nutshell and deserves wide circulation IMHO.

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tweeted
https://twitter.com/user/status/1463077825355956232

 

Let me add the politics around things like ME and Long Covid seem to be less left or right than about special interests who want particular outcomes. Stuff reality, they want the world to be what they want.