Clinical trials & what we need from them

I hear you, but that still doesn’t mean you can quote the research with much confidence...just look at ritixumab ?

 

You may be right regarding the concomitant reduction of viral titers, but other aspects of the enterovirus theory are more established:

• The findings of chronic enterovirus in ME/CFS patients' tissues: there are numerous studies that have replicated that, and I think that research is unassailable.

• The fact that enterovirus ME/CFS patients improve on antivirals and immunomodulators like ribavirin, interferon and oxymatrine: that's less well established in terms of published studies, but there are three papers showing interferon improves ME/CFS or puts patients into remission; plus Chia's placebo controlled quasi-study on oxymatrine in 100 ME/CFS patients. (For various reasons, interferon is not a viable long-term treatment; but the fact it works in the short-term provides good evidence that enterovirus plays a causal role in ME/CFS).

• The concomitant reduction of enterovirus titers as patients improve on the treatment: that is not very well established in published studies (although Chia may have his own data from his clinical work), and further studies are required.

 

We have lots of evidence that its immune in some form but no confirmation. Its even possible its related to a part of the immune system we do not yet know, if true ME/CFS would not be the first disease that needed a new discovery to become "legitimate"