08 June 2008
The US CDC acknowledges a distinction between ME and CFS
Perhaps just the samllest hint of recognition from the CDC that the vague and amorphous illness concept 'they created in the 1980's based around the ubiquitous symptom of 'fatigue' isn't representative and shouldn't be confused with ME. If only they really understood,believed and practiced this understanding of ME and treatment of PWME's would be far advanced of the sorry state it exists in today.
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"Various terms are incorrectly used interchangeably with CFS. CFS has an internationally accepted case definition that is used in research and clinical settings. The name chronic fatigue and immune
dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) was introduced soon after CFS was defined; there is no case definition for CFIDS, and the name implies an understanding about the pathophysiology of CFS that is not fully supported in the medical literature.
***The name myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) was coined in the 1950s to
clarify well-documented outbreaks of disease; however, ME is
accompanied by neurologic and muscular signs and has a case
definition distinct from that of CFS." *** (emphasis and paragraph
break added).
From the overview chapter of the CDC's CFS provider education course:
http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/cme/wb1032/chapter1/overview.html
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