MEA purple booklet: 2016 edition published today!

[charles shepherd]

THE MEA PURPLE BOOKLET - 2016 edition is published today

The 2016 edition of the MEA purple booklet - ME/CFS/PVFS: An Exploration of the Key Clinical Issues - is published today: June 1st 2016

This is a major revision and update of the previous edition with a new layout and an incase in pages from 52 to 132

So it is no longer a booklet - it has become a book!

The MEA purple booklet is our essential guide to ME/CFS that summaries and references (over 300 key references) all the key findings relating to:

Nomenclature and clinical/research definitions of ME and CFS

Epidemiology and co-morbidity

RESEARCH:
Cardiac function
Genetics and gene expression
Infection
Immunology
Muscle
Neurology, neuroimaging, neuroendocrinology, post mortem research
Sleep

CLINICAL ASSESSMENT
Symptoms, examination findings, investigations
Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis
Disabilty Assessment

MANAGEMENT:
General principles
Drugs aimed at symptom relief
Drugs aimed at the underlying disease process
All aspects of non drug management:
Activity and energy management
Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Benefits
Blood and organ donation
Diet and nutrition
Disability issues
Driving
Education
Employment
Insurance cover
Pregnancy
Relapses and exacerbations
Vaccinations

Prognosis and Quality of Life
Children and Adolescents
Severe ME/CFS

More information on the MEA website:

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/201...ch-masterwork-is-published-today-1-june-2016/

Dr Charles Shepherd
Hon Medical Adviser, MEA
June 1st 2016

 

[Old Bones]

@charles shepherd Congratulations on publishing the expanded 2016 MEA book. The home page of your website states:

"The book – as ever – is intended to be an invaluable guide to the illness for GPs and other healthcare professionals and we remain very happy to send out a complimentary copy to your own healthcare provider. Email admin@meassociation.org.uk if you would like us to do this for you. . . .

People placing orders from overseas should email our office at admin@meassociation.org.uk or phone +44 1280 818 968 for price details."

May I assume your generous offer applies only to healthcare providers in the UK? If so, would ME patients living elsewhere (eg. Europe, Australia, North America) be able to cover the cost of postage to have the book sent to their healthcare provider?

 

[charles shepherd]

Thanks for the kind comments!

Firstly, yes - I'm afraid we can only afford to send out free copies to UK health professionals. That is the current position but I will discuss with MEA trustees as to whether we could make any exceptions.

Secondly, I don't see any problem in sending a copy to an overseas doctor if you are able to cover the cost and postage involved. To check the cost please could you email MEA head office

 

[charles shepherd]

Word from Gill and Helen at the MEA office in Buckingham - they are working as fast as humanly possible to send out copies to people who have already ordered a copy (500 plus!).

They are aiming to get the new orders out early next week.

Dr Charles Shepherd - Hon Medical Adviser, MEA

 

[JohnCB]

Word from Gill and Helen at the MEA office in Buckingham - they are working as fast as humanly possible to send out copies to people who have already ordered a copy (500 plus!).

They are aiming to get the new orders out early next week.

Give them my thanks, please. My copy has already arrived in this morning's post.

It will take me a while to read it, but my first impression is very favorable. I did have a copy of an earlier edition about 10 or more years ago and it has changed hugely. This edition is much bigger. It is also a lot clearer. The old one had quite a bit of doctor shorthand. This edition also includes a lot of reference material useful to a lay reader, especially if one hasn't been fully immersed in Phoenix Rising and other sources for a long time.

I'm going to find it useful. I was going to offer it to my GP but I have just discovered she has retired (that explains why I didn't get the phone call from her, which she had promised she would do when she got my blood test results!). First I need to find a new GP and get them trained.

I recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand ME properly.

I thank the authors for their work.

Edit: typos

 

[Gemini]

Word from Gill and Helen at the MEA office in Buckingham - they are working as fast as humanly possible to send out copies to people who have already ordered a copy (500 plus!).

Many thanks to Helen for guiding me to MEA website's online order form... easy to order, pay via Paypal & have a copy sent to the US. Just check the "Rest of the World" option...