by Sasha Nimmo National Health and Medical Research Council's Chief Executive Officer, Prof Anne Kelso, today released her response the ME and CFS advisory committee's report. Prof Kelso has decided that the NHMRC should develop clinical guidance on ME/CFS. This is a major decision as the current guidelines were condemned by the Senate and organisations … Continue reading Medical council agrees new guidelines are needed
By ME Australia Australians with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome are having their disability support pension, NDIS, superannuation and other requests for help denied due to the current Australian chronic fatigue syndrome guidelines, published back in 2002. Myalgic Encephalomyelitis affects between 0.4 and 1 per cent of the population, including children, and one quarter … Continue reading Failure to update medical guidelines see people with ME denied disability support
by Sasha Nimmo Australia’s Health Minister, Greg Hunt, listened to people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), families, scientists and organisations. Minister Hunt had a second meeting with ME Australia, along with Prof Paul Fisher, head of microbiology at La Trobe University and Dr Heidi Nicholl, Emerge Australia on Thursday. ME Australia and Dr Chris Armstrong first … Continue reading Australia’s Health Minister listening to people with ME
By Sasha Nimmo Australia's government is seeking advice from an advisory committee on current research, gaps in research and whether the 2002 clinical guidelines for doctors should be revised. The last time the government began to look at chronic fatigue syndrome was 25 years ago. In 1993 the then Minister for Health, Graham Richardson, established … Continue reading Mistakes of the past: ‘The Pathogenesis of Melancholia’ and other wasted money.
By Sasha Nimmo Australian research is underfunded and the government's clinical guidelines are outdated so the ME and CFS advisory committee is welcomed. It provides an important opportunity to call on the government to fund biomedical research and to give Australian doctors desperately needed clinical guidance. The advice from this committee will determine if diagnostic … Continue reading Making the most of the NHMRC advisory committee
by Sasha Nimmo Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) says it plans to spend $3-5 million dollars over three to five years on funding targeted research into ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) and chronic fatigue syndrome. This would be a huge increase, as the NHMRC have not funded a study since 2005. The NHRMC said it … Continue reading Australia’s medical research council promises ‘serious exploration’ of research for ME within months
The Australian federal government is spending the ME and CFS research budget on training medical professionals to use cognitive behavioural therapy and graded exercise therapy on patients in Australia and internationally, despite the fact these therapies show no benefit and may do harm.
by Sasha Nimmo Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is estimated to affect between 0.4% and 1% of the population, according to the International Consensus Criteria primer for medical practitioners, endorsed by Australian patient organisations. In Australia, that is between 96,700 and 241,800 people (ABS population figures). Of those, 25% are so severely affected that they cannot leave their homes or … Continue reading Severe ME: Suffering ignored and denied help
by Sasha Nimmo Up to 240,000 Australians have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. ME may be mild, moderate or severe. More than 25% of people affected are housebound or bedbound, and research shows that people with severe ME have a quality of life similar to those with cancer and late-stage AIDS. Worsening of symptoms can be sudden and permanent. One … Continue reading Facts and figures on M.E. in Australia
