"CDC Damage Control: ME/CFS Research Group Relieved of Duties"

[Navid]

from dr. luckett's blog:

In a stunning move, responsibility for XMRV research has been taken away from the ME/CFS working group within the CDC, and re-assigned to the division of HIV/AIDS prevention. This group will be in charge of replicating findings of the Whittemore-Peterson Institute, rather than the group under the control of Dr. Reeves. The move is highly significant: it appears that the CDC is now acknowledging the serious nature of XMRV.


see his blog for entire post:

http://cfidsresearch.blogspot.com/2009/12/cdc-mecfs-group-relieved-of-xmrv.html

 

[SeaShel]

To attempt to clarify:

XMRV has been taken from the me/cfs group

BUT

me/cfs "itself" is still under Reeves?

In other words, great news for XMRV, not such great news for me/cfs?

Just want to make sure I'm understanding what's going on, but am thrilled XMRV has been moved where the experienced retrovirus folks are.

Shelley

 

[cold_taste_of_tears]

Insert many positive expletives

 

[Marylib]

XMRV out, "CFS" still in?

Yes I wonder about that too Shelley. We shall see.

 

[cold_taste_of_tears]

I'm still hallucinating in my ears today due to 2hrs sleep and trying to get lots of blood tests done, only this is a good hallucination to add to the list.

Whilst trying to get to sleep:

* Screaming man sound - CHECK
* Door Bell sound- CHECK
* Brushing teeth sound - CHECK
* Buzzing fly sound - CHECK.

* Dr Reeves expert grip on XMRV in ME/CFS gets replaced by people who are less corrupt.
WHAT!!!!

Someone call a shrink I'm cracking up.

* Looks like the first signs that CFS will stay CFS with Reeves and CBT/GE/Pacing/NLP, and XMRV will become XAND.

 

[anne]

Yeah, I think that's what can be inferred. XMRV has been moved. Nonetheless, I'm glad Reeves won't get his mitts on the replication research, and it sounds like at least some of the samples they re using actually have CFS.

The move is highly significant: it appears that the CDC is now acknowledging the serious nature of XMRV.

It is a sad truth that moving something out of the CFS division over there shows they are acknowledging its seriousness!

 

[Kati]

But we knew that didn't we? It's nothing new- we knew that the HIV team was taking are of the samples and trying to replicate the study- at CFSAC meeting they said something about it.

 

[Khalyal]

CFS remains

with Dr. Reeves. Separating XMRV out of the CFS wastebasket was an inevitable move. This is why the WPI held their ground when "Science" wanted to publish the XMRV research as a stand-alone, without connecting it to CFS. WPI insisted on publishing the XMRV research based on the CFS connection.

The maneuvering will most likely continue in an attempt to pull XAND out of the CFS wastebasket and leave everyone who tests negative for the retrovirus still in the dumpster.

THAT'S why history is so important. CFS is whatever Peterson and Cheney had on their hands in Incline Village, for which CFS was named. It was NEVER supposed to be the wastebasket where every ailment with unknown origins got dumped. That's what the CDC turned it into.

And this is why advocacy needs to be founded in history...so that they would realize that right now, they need to be pushing to have ALL of CFS moved out of Reeves' department, and not just the blood-bank threatening retroviral component.

 

[caledonia]

Right, I heard this announced at the CFSAC meeting, although not outlined in such a detailed way.

In any case, it's good news. Taking responsibility away from someone is a way of forcing them out door. I've seen it done at a company that I worked for.

 

[Kati]

Maybe he could be sent out to the North Pole somewhere to see if there's a new cohort to be found up there. Raindeers? Polar bears? Lost people?

 

[jam338]

CFS Activism still Important re CDC/Reeves

This post is just something I feel I need to say, though it may not be particularly in response to things being said on this thread.

Please let's ensure that we don't assume the CDC has thrown Reeves under the political bus. There was a new human retrovirus discovery-XMRV. It could be as simple as looking at an organization chart defining areas of organizational responsibility. It only makes sense the agency would assign XMRV, a newly discovered human retrovirus, to the only division with experience in researching and analyzing human retroviruses at the CDC.

Not saying that Reeves doesn't deserve a CDC smackdown. He does. But, the assignment of XMRV to the HIV/AIDS division doesn not mean he got it.

Most importantly, I just wanted to say that the CFS community should not assume victory about Reeves. It is important, in my opinion, to keep up the activism and ensure that high levels know the CFS community at large is still concerned about Reeves reported unprofessional biases regarding CFS. He has professionally impugned him and the CDC for as long as they keep the responsibility of oversight of CFS assigned to him. No matter how large or small the percentages are, not even 1% of CFS oversight with Reeves given the biases on the record.

There will probably be some with CFS that will have XMRV and a percentage ( albeit maybe small if WPI's estimates of 67-90% is right) of CFS'ers who won't have XMRV.

 

[starryeyes]

Good point Jam. Well said.

 

[muffin]

JAM is prob. very correct I think

"Not saying that Reeves doesn't deserve a CDC smackdown. He does. But, the assignment of XMRV to the HIV/AIDS division doesn not mean he got it."

This was my first impression and I continue to believe that having XMRV done in a true lab setting and NOT in the Reeves department does NOT mean that Reeves is in trouble at the CDC or banished in anyway. It seems that replicating this virus SHOULD be done in a virus lab.

Reeves is still at the CDC as far as any of us know. And remember, he does still have Whistle Blower status thanks to CAA. So that could protect him from the CDC trying to get rid of him - regardless of what the public wants.
I don't believe this lab testing is done for Damage Control at CDC, just makes sense from an organizational chart as Jam stated.

So, that scumbag Reeves is still out there and still able to damage us. That means we must continue to press Congress, the media, and everyone else to get rid of him and investigate the whole CDC/CFS program from inception onwards. This, esp. now in light of a virus that may well have been in the blood supply for decades and possibly allowed because of CDC incompetence OR cover-up. Or both...

Funny that a day before someone here noted going to 60 Minutes with a CFIDS story I had said to my husband that I was going to contact them and see if they wanted to go with an in depth investigative story on CDC/CFS and now the XMRV finding. I think it is a great idea and one that everyone should write up and send on to 60 minutes. Give them as much information, research, data, background, etc. to make it compelling and easy for them to do their job. We can not have a Dr. Oz doing a 10 minute swipe on something so important. Yes, it got us attention but it was incorrect on so many things that I was yelling at the TV. I know Dr. D tried, but the info stupid (drink energy drinks?) and plain wrong and dangerous. So, Oz and the like are NOT the answer for real investigation but they do get a message out there enough to get people to listen and maybe look.

 

[V99]

If we are to bombard 60 minutes, Opera, BBC, etc, we need to keep doing this solidly until the replication studies come out. Do an Andy Dufresne.

Make them so sick of hearing about it, that the only way to stop the letters, emails, etc. is to make a program.

 

[Jimk]

Reeves Demoted- XMRV Research Taken Away From ME/CFS group!

Comeuppance is grand. From the same blogger who called the CDC's record of CFS research under Reeves "criminal neglect" the news that all XMRV research has been removed from Reeves group within CDC and transferred to the AIDS/HIV group: http://cfidsresearch.blogspot.com/2009/12/cdc-mecfs-group-relieved-of-xmrv.html (see link for more)

CDC Damage Control: ME/CFS Research Group Relieved of Duties
from HOPE FOR FM AND CFIDS SUFFERERS by Fibromyalgia Research
In a stunning move, responsibility for XMRV research has been taken away from the ME/CFS working group within the CDC, and re-assigned to the division of HIV/AIDS prevention. This group will be in charge of replicating findings of the Whittemore-Peterson Institute, rather than the group under the control of Dr. Reeves. The move is highly significant: it appears that the CDC is now acknowledging the serious nature of XMRV.
​

More details in the post. This blogger is becoming my hero, and the go-to guy for cogent discussion decipherable to most lay people from a virologist. Can somebody out there hire this guy and put him to work on the XMRV problem? He's a gem.

 

[parvofighter]

Way to go Dr Luckett!

Dr Luckett has done it again. Great news of what will hopefully be a sea of change for the ME/CFS community.

I was duly impressed by Dr Holmberg in his presentation to the CFSAC meeting, where he clearly and decisively addressed the XMRV findiings - and the potential safety of the blood supply. This guy doesn't mess around.

Yanking the XMRV research over to HIV/AIDS is a bellweather for us. A decisive first step by the CDC to distance themselves from Reeves and his cronies' legacy of shame. Now to do some more digging on the source of that news. Anyone found anything on the CDC site yet?

 

[Sing]

Yes, I was excited to hear that! I read it earlier in the CAA newsletter this month on the link about Dr. Suzanne Vernon's perspective.

Glad you highlighted this with a thread--

Cecelia

 

[cfs since 1998]

This was my first impression and I continue to believe that having XMRV done in a true lab setting and NOT in the Reeves department does NOT mean that Reeves is in trouble at the CDC or banished in anyway....I don't believe this lab testing is done for Damage Control at CDC...So, that scumbag Reeves is still out there and still able to damage us.

I agree. But isn't Dr. Reeves a virologist? So taking XMRV away from him isn't exactly a "punishment" but it's certainly not an endorsement of his leadership either.

 

[Cort]

I don't know if he's demoted or now. He has a CFS lab of his own but it may be that its not set up to do this kind of research. Since the HIV lab is dedicated specifically to studying retroviruses its kind of logical - that with a finding of this importance - that they would want their best to study it.

Of course it could also be that they don't trust him to do it. It could also be that given the negative views of him that no one would accept his results if it turned out to be negative.

 

[Marylib]

What she said

with Dr. Reeves. Separating XMRV out of the CFS wastebasket was an inevitable move. This is why the WPI held their ground when "Science" wanted to publish the XMRV research as a stand-alone, without connecting it to CFS. WPI insisted on publishing the XMRV research based on the CFS connection.

The maneuvering will most likely continue in an attempt to pull XAND out of the CFS wastebasket and leave everyone who tests negative for the retrovirus still in the dumpster.

THAT'S why history is so important. CFS is whatever Peterson and Cheney had on their hands in Incline Village, for which CFS was named. It was NEVER supposed to be the wastebasket where every ailment with unknown origins got dumped. That's what the CDC turned it into.

And this is why advocacy needs to be founded in history...so that they would realize that right now, they need to be pushing to have ALL of CFS moved out of Reeves' department, and not just the blood-bank threatening retroviral component.

What Khaly has just said here is so important, isn't it? It is entirely possible that this will be the old bait and switch and we must be watchful.