News from Israel

[Wyva]

"Israel will recognize fibromyalgia, a once widely dismissed illness that involves chronic muscle pain, as a disability.

People with the condition will be recognized as disabled within a few weeks, and will be able to claim up to 40 percent of a full disability allowance, Welfare and Social Affairs Minister Meir Cohen announced on Tuesday."​

There are some interesting claims in the article, like:

"Patients once sidelined by skeptical doctors now given right to claim state allowance; decision impacts many in south whose illness is thought to be brought on by Hamas rockets"​

or

"There has been a particular increase in cases in Israeli communities near the Gaza border, seemingly because the condition can be triggered by trauma."​

Full article: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israe...-chronic-muscle-pain-illness-as-a-disability/

 

[shak8]

40% of a disability pension is better than nothing, but shouldn't the amount be tailored to the severity of impairment?

 

[chrisb]

That sounds like bad news generally if is believed that fibromyalgia can be caused by Hamas rockets.

Is the condition common in Palestinians in Gaza as a response to Israeli military incursion and aerial bombardment?

 

[Wyva]

There's a new article: https://www.timesofisrael.com/feels...-world-by-recognizing-sorrow-of-chronic-pain/

It says that these rights are actually extended to chronic fatigue syndrome too, not just fibromyalgia and it puts a bit more emphasis on CFS this time.

 

[chrisb]

Beersheba in southern Israel is a renowned center of Fibromyalgia research because rockets from Gaza have triggered high rates of the condition. Experts there are convinced that Israel’s move will help to effect progress internationally.

 

[shak8]

Beersheba in southern Israel is a renowned center of Fibromyalgia research because rockets from Gaza have triggered high rates of the condition. Experts there are convinced that Israel’s move will help to effect progress internationally.

Wondering if the high incidence of the diagnosis of fibromyalgia at the Beersheba center for fibromyalgia is because of the expertise of diagnosing fibromyalgia at that specialty center---so that cases are more readily diagnosed at the Beersheba center than elsewhere in Israel because it is a specialty practice/research center.

 

[chrisb]

Possible, but with expertise should come doubts as to aetiology. Perhaps it is just the writers who wish to emphasize the supposed link to Hamas rockets.

 

[5vforest]

Super gross to link CFS/FM to Hamas rockets, for more than one reason.

Now OMF has tweeted this article…. Sigh

 

[shak8]

Super gross to link CFS/FM to Hamas rockets, for more than one reason.

Now OMF has tweeted this article…. Sigh

That guy in a wheelchair is way too happy-faced to be afflicted with fibro.

 

[Hutan]

We know there are strong feelings about Israeli-Palestinian issues, but this forum is not set up to usefully explore them.

Please avoid breaching the 'no politics unrelated to ME/CFS' rule so that everyone feels comfortable here.