Helmfrid: "Reimer [...] distorts the scientific discussion about ME/CFS in Sweden"

New brilliant article by Sten Helmfrid! It's an excellent and well-written reply to an opinion piece by BPS proponent Mats Reimer. The full-text is in Swedish. Well worth a read

"Abstract
In an article on SVT Opinion [website of the National Swedish Television], Mats Reimer expresses his opinion that ME/CFS is best understood by a biopsychosocial model and that the disease should be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy and graded exercise therapy.

This article reviews and rebuts his claims.

Reimer criticizes the name myalgic encephalomyelitis, suggests that there is no physiological basis for the symptoms, and claims that it has not been proven ME/CFS is a physical disease. He doesn’t explain the numerous physiological abnormalities that have been observed in people with ME/CFS and presents no evidence that cognitive processes have a causal effect on the disease. Reimer refers to treatment studies of cognitive behavioral therapy and graded exercise therapy for ME/CFS but does not address the widespread criticism that the design of those trials is flawed and that the conclusions are not supported by the underlying data.

Reimer's failure to accurately describe the situation and answer critical questions about his claims distorts the scientific discussion about ME/CFS in Sweden. [Text in Swedish.]"

PDF | Mats Reimer fortsätter att förmedla en felaktig bild av ME/CFS. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/public...satter_att_formedla_en_felaktig_bild_av_MECFS

Incredibly valuable and much appreciated -- thank you so much for speaking up, Sten! Really well done

 

https://twitter.com/user/status/1015498680533770240


https://twitter.com/user/status/1015498908716486657


The pdf is available on Dropbox as well:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pk42813t8c6pqh3/Reimer SVT Opinion.pdf?dl=0

 

I like that he put abundant references at the bottom of the article too. I hope it get's read widely.

 

Here's the first full page of text as a taster. It's worth the effort of going through google translate or similar (for those who need it) to read the rest. I think it's really good.

 

The comment about the flu is interesting. I didn't know that but it puts the whole naming think into perspective. Nobody complains that the term Influenza does not properly describe this acute but often serious illness. It's just called what it's called based on the time in which it was named.

That said, I wonder if we'll hear from Mats Reimer in response to this response.
I'll put a (fictional) fiver on a 'non-response' response -- repeating what was previously stated and refuted and maybe an ad hominem or two rounding off with a general slagging off of people with ME.

 

Indeed: when I posted a comment containing some links to PACE criticism on one of Mats Reimer's blog articles on a medical site (Dagens Medicin) a couple of years ago, my comment got mysteriously deleted some days later. So I complained to the site's management, who investigated and said they did not know why my comment disappeared, but said that I could repost it, which I did.

I think Reimer deleted my comment because he does not want to accept the fact that the PACE trial no longer can be used to provide empirical evidence to sppport his psychogenic views on ME/CFS.

 

Same with malaria (bad air), and don't get me started on "hysterectomy".

"Quarantine" is from Italian quaranta which means 40. That was regarded as sufficient amount of time to isolate patients with serious contagious diseases.

Medical etymology is rather fun..