4/26 Times article: "Gut bacteria linked to chronic fatigue"

[Mary]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/gut-bacteria-linked-to-chronic-fatigue-30wkq5fjp

I think this may have been posted elsewhere, but can't find it. In any event, this article was forwarded to me by my brother whose mother-in-law saw it in the Santa Barbara News-Press (!) All the way from the UK to southern California.

It's not terribly informative, but not too terrible either - and I thought it telling that the Times was reporting on a physiological finding in ME/CFS. It does mention the PACE trial (not by name), mentions that ME/CFS patients don't like (but not quite why). There are a couple of excellent comments at the end of the article.

 

[TiredSam]

There have been worse articles, but it still bends over backwards to be "balanced". Not the usual SMC hatchet job, but still:

Chronic fatigue syndrome has been linked to changes in the gut’s bacteria in the latest research showing that the condition once derided as “yuppie flu” has real physiological effects.

Why even mention yuppie flu? Real physiological effects leaves wiggle-room for psychological causes in line with the BPS view.

CFS, a debilitating condition that leaves people extremely tired for much of their lives.

Yup, that's the one. CFS. Tired. If Tom Whipple can write "once derided as yuppie flu" why can't he also write "also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis"?

Theories have ranged from its being a response to viral infection to its being purely psychiatric.

Well it's probably 50:50 then if the jury's still out. No need to weigh the evidence on either side or look into it any further.

People with CFS have been frustrated by the pace of research and even by the characterisation of the disease. Many are angered by NHS advice, based on a major trial, that suggests exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy. They argue that this does not treat it as the physiological condition they believe it is. Some feel stigmatised by a perception that it is not a real condition, hence the yuppie flu label.

The only adjective used for the trial is "major", which sounds quite positive, even though various academics, journalists and scientific researchers have been using a number of other adjectives lately. Patients are "frustrated", "angry" and "argue", and they "believe" it is a physiological condition. Oh, and get the "yuppie flu label" in a second time.

The Analysis/miracle cure bit is looks like a bit of disjointed nonsense tagged on at the end to make it up to whatever length it was supposed to be.

And of course the usual CFS model:

This time holding not only her head, but also her gut, just to illustrate the article. Her eyes look very clear and focused, but then they never mentioned brain fog. In fact she doesn't even look tired. Maybe she's just in expectation of a headache.

Is this the SMC trying to be a bit more subtle? Instead of making bold psych or terrorist claims, are they trying to seem balanced while still getting the boot in where they can? Main thing is that they control the narrative I suppose.