Elaine English has asked us to post her letter to the Editor of The Times
on the Open/Campaigning Letters section of our website here
http://www.mefreeforall.org/October.1663.0.html#c8129
Note: To click the links to any letters in response and, from there, any
subsequent responses, it is necessary to be registered with ME Free For
All.org (Details for new subscribers below)
Text: Re: M.E. and retrovirus research, 12 October 2009
From: Elaine English
To: Editor, The Times
Sir,
Research published last week shows a strong link between the retrovirus XMRV
and ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). ME effects over 200,000 people in the UK
whilst HIV (a member of the retrovirus family) effects 73,000.
Given that the UK Government has spent millions into HIV research and has
been at the forefront of knowledge about HIV, can we now expect the
Government to take ME seriously and to take a similar lead in funding
biological research into the cause, diagnosis and treatment of ME?
Government's funding into ME has been abysmal and has primarily funded
research into psychological treatments (in particular Cognitive Behaviour
Therapy), which would be dismissed if suggested for HIV.
Surely it is time for the Government and the medical profession to recognise
this illness for what it is, a neurological condition as defined by the
World Health Organisation and to stop using the umbrella term CFS (Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome) before it is shamed by the international community for
neglecting people with ME who suffer from a complex, biological illness.
Yours faithfully
Elaine English
by e-mail
It hasn't been published but Elaine is hoping that It has not been printed,
but I thought that others might like to take up the baton.
In a similar vein, she thinks it would be interesting to find out if there
are any implications of people with XMRV being blood donors? Now THAT might
prompt some money for research!
Go on do it for Elaine, who has done all this for us, despite having
Shingles (ouch!).
Any letters in response should be sent to e-mail address
<eveningnewsletters@archant.co.uk>letters@thetimes.co.uk
that is letters at the times dot co dot uk
and will you please forward them or Bcc them to
drjohngreenmsith@mefreeforall.org
and we'll put all 500 of them on our website.
Or just laugh your head off with our joke of the day
here http://www.mefreeforall.org/Jokes.1569.0.html
Cheers
John
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Cheers
John drjohngreensmith@mefreeforall.org
Dr John H Greensmith
ME Free For All. org
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