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Aust govt pins its hopes on NIH ME/CFS research

RustyJ

Contaminated Cell Line 'RustyJ'
Messages
1,200
Location
Mackay, Aust
Aust govt pins its hopes on NIH ME/CFS research

Australia spent just $1.6 million since 2000 on research into ME and CFS, the Australian Department of Health told a Senate budget estimates hearing this week. This figure was revised downward after Senator Scott Ludlam asked the Department to look into it.

Ludlam said ‘about two-thirds of the funding appears to be going to into research that, however worthy, actually has nothing at all to do with ME/CFS.’
 

GreyOwl

Dx: strong belief system, avoidance, hypervigilant
Messages
266
Hi,

Sasha Nimmo wrote an article about this on meaction the other day, but I can't seem to find it at the moment. There was a comment on the article which has prompted some further questions from me that I am following up via an FOI request. Sasha included a statistic that 75% of grant applications for the ME fund allocation were rejected, and I would like to know more about why they were rejected, especially as the ones that were approved were psych studies, or as Sasha said had nothing or very little to do with ME.

I'll fund the application but would love someone/others to share the info with, as I'm far less knowledgeable than everyone else on this site.
 

Art Vandelay

Senior Member
Messages
470
Location
Australia
Hi,

Sasha Nimmo wrote an article about this on meaction the other day, but I can't seem to find it at the moment. There was a comment on the article which has prompted some further questions from me that I am following up via an FOI request. Sasha included a statistic that 75% of grant applications for the ME fund allocation were rejected, and I would like to know more about why they were rejected, especially as the ones that were approved were psych studies, or as Sasha said had nothing or very little to do with ME.

I'll fund the application but would love someone/others to share the info with, as I'm far less knowledgeable than everyone else on this site.

Great article:

Australian Health Dept answers questions on ME

Most of the $2.4 million in research the government says is for ME or CFS is spent on research into psychology, exercise or for other conditions such as hepatitis C. No studies funded in a decade.

For Australia’s 94,000 people with ME, or possibly up to 242,000 including CFS, the Australian Department of Health directly funded just three studies into ME or CFS in 16 years, two studies led by psychologists and one on Gulf War veterans. Funding for those studies finished in 2005.


 
Last edited:

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
I would say that Canada has been taking he same line of action. No funding, and relying on other countries to do the dirty work. I also got a letter once saying they were looking up to the CDC to make their decisions regarding care. We all know where that goes.
 

RustyJ

Contaminated Cell Line 'RustyJ'
Messages
1,200
Location
Mackay, Aust
The article posted on this thread is a follow up to the original article (also written by Sasha). There will be an ongoing series of articles.

Hi,

Sasha Nimmo wrote an article about this on meaction the other day, but I can't seem to find it at the moment. There was a comment on the article which has prompted some further questions from me that I am following up via an FOI request. Sasha included a statistic that 75% of grant applications for the ME fund allocation were rejected, and I would like to know more about why they were rejected, especially as the ones that were approved were psych studies, or as Sasha said had nothing or very little to do with ME.

I'll fund the application but would love someone/others to share the info with, as I'm far less knowledgeable than everyone else on this site.

Hi GreyOwl. I haven't seen the comment you're referring to, but you are welcome to share the info on shoutoutaboutme.com when it's ready. However I suggest you get in touch with Sasha - she is doing more on this story. Maybe a collaboration? You can message her on twitter @sashanimmo or send me an email which I can forward on to her- rlrussjj@gmail.com
 

jadam914

Foggy member
Messages
56
Location
Palmyra, Pa, USA
I would say that Canada has been taking he same line of action. No funding, and relying on other countries to do the dirty work. I also got a letter once saying they were looking up to the CDC to make their decisions regarding care. We all know where that goes.
Sad part is some smaller European countries are doing more than all the larger ones.