Legitimizing myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: indications of change over a decade, 2020, Friedberg

[Andy]

This commentary identifies recent scientific and clinical milestones that appear to have increased legitimization of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). These milestones include government-funded reports recognizing the seriousness of ME/CFS, new initiatives for biomedical research sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health, official endorsement of the ME/CFS name, publication of practitioner primers, and the launch of a new peer-review fatigue journal. These positive developments are tempered by ongoing illness challenges including patient stigma, absence of diagnostic markers, a lack of established treatments, and a dearth of researchers and knowledgeable, interested clinicians.

Paywall, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21641846.2020.1718292
Sci hub, https://sci-hub.se/10.1080/21641846.2020.1718292

ETA: Sci hub link.

 

[Andy]

Now available via Sci hub, https://sci-hub.se/10.1080/21641846.2020.1718292

 

[Andy]

"new peer-review fatigue journal"; any idea what this refers to?

At a guess it's the journal that the article is published by "Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior", https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rftg20/current, which is "Published on behalf of the IACFS/ME".

 

[Tom Kindlon]

 

[Tom Kindlon]

"By contrast, appropriately submitted research papers on ME/CFS are often not even sent out for peer review by medical journal editors (Leonard A. Jason, PhD, personal communication, November 6, 2019)."

My guess is the publication of the recent important prevalence study of ME/CFS in children in a relatively obscure journal was connected to this issue.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10566-019-09543-3

 

[Tom Kindlon]

ME/CFS research is significantly challenged by critical barriers and gaps, including lack of knowledge of biological mechanisms, limited clinical information about the illness, a shortage of clinicians and researchers, and insufficient funding

 

[Tom Kindlon]

 

[Tom Kindlon]

"These advances in illness recognition must be considered in light of significant challenges to achieving mainstream legitimacy and the continuing difficulties that patients experience in finding support, appropriate medical care, and effective treatments."