Abstract
Recently, the Dutch Health Council published their advisory report on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) which is meant to determine the medical policy with regard to ME in the Netherlands. The Health Council briefly discusses several diagnostic criteria and proposes to use new diagnostic criteria for “ME/CFS” in research and clinical practice in the future. The advisory report then summarizes organic abnormalities observed in the last decades and concludes that “ME/CFS” is a “serious, chronic, multisystem disease”. According to the Health Council there are no curative treatments for “ME/CFS”, due to lack of knowledge, but specific medication could bring symptomatic relief. The Health Council recommends conducting more research, to (re)educate medical professionals about “ME/CFS”, to appoint three academic expertise centres, which will install a care network for patients, and to fairly judge the limitations (disability) of patients when they apply for a disability income, medical aid and care. The advisory report was welcomed by many patients, because it puts an end to the dominance of the (bio)psychosocial explanatory model and seems to offer a perspective of improving the situation of patients. However, the starting point of the advisory report, a new definition of “ME/CFS”, will have serious (long-lasting) consequences for patients and researchers.
Highlights
Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) which is meant to determine the medical policy with regard to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) in the Netherlands
As a result of a citizens initiative, which asked to acknowledge that ME and CFS are two distinct diseases, the Dutch Health Council was asked by the Dutch parliament to advise them on the definition of ME and diagnostic criteria; cause(s), course and prevalence of ME; possibilities to prevent and treat the disease; the impact of ME on the patient and on his/her environment and social participation; the organization of treatment of and support for of patients with ME in the Netherlands; and the current scientific developments and perspectives
It is not surprising that a recent study [12] found that 25% of the CFS [5] patients in a community epidemiology database did not meet the diagnostic criteria of Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID) [9]
Summary
Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) which is meant to determine the medical policy with regard to ME in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) [1,2,3,4] has been considered an alternative label for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), as defined by the so-called CFS/Fukuda criteria [5], for decades. As a result of a citizens initiative, which asked to acknowledge that ME and CFS are two distinct diseases, the Dutch Health Council was asked by the Dutch parliament to advise them on the definition of ME and diagnostic criteria; cause(s), course and prevalence of ME; possibilities to prevent and treat the disease; the impact of ME on the patient and on his/her environment and social participation; the organization of treatment of and support for of patients with ME in the Netherlands; and the current scientific developments and perspectives. ME was recognized as a clinical entity in 1956 [2] and has been classified as neurological disease by the World Health Organisation other systems, since 1969
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