From: Professor Malcom Hooper
To:
letters@guardian.co.uk
The Editor
The growing understanding of ME shown in the recent article (The trouble
with ME 14/05/10) by your medical correspondent, Sarah Boseley, is most
welcome. However, there are a number of significant errors and omissions in
the article.
ME is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, which signifies muscle pain with
inflammation of the brain and spinal cord (inflammation has been shown to
occur, in three recent UK post-mortems) and the disorder has been classified
by the WHO as a neurological disorder since 1969. The correct terminology is
NOT myalgic encephalopathy, which is not classified and is a much less
specific clinical term. The alternative term Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, CFS,
was introduced in 1988. Its use is restricted by the WHO to ICD-10 G93.3 and
excluded from use elsewhere, particularly in somatoform, fatigue, chronic
fatigue, and fatigue syndromes which are classified at F48.0. The
similarities in these words used in F48.0 and in G93.3 have led to much
confusion, and some deception, by those seeking to reclassify ME as a
somatoform disorder.
The identification of people with ME relies on accurate terminology and case
definition which are essential for well designed research studies. The
CDC-Fukuda 1994 definition has been shown to be non-specific, whilst the
1991 Oxford definition developed and favoured by certain influential
psychiatrists who work for the medical insurance industry, excludes
neurological conditions. Studies with such heterogeneous cohorts of patients
cannot provide any meaningful data for interpretation. The current Medical
Research Council PACE Trial on "CFS/ME" is seriously flawed in this way
since it uses the Oxford definition which embraces all states of "medically
unexplained fatigue" but by definition excludes those with ME, a situation
that defies logic.
The 2003 Canadian Criteria were produced by very experienced clinicians who,
between them have diagnosed and treated over 20,000 patients with ME. They
provide comprehensive clinical signs associated with ME, from which any
competent physician should be able to make a diagnosis with the use of
appropriate investigative tests many of which are restricted or proscribed
in the UK by NICE.
Although the recent judicial review did find against the ME plaintiffs, the
decision is the subject of a legal challenge due to the alleged failure of
due legal process.
The undeclared vested interest of doctors associated with insurance
companies was critically exposed in the report by senior Parliamentarians
chaired by Dr Ian Gibson which exposed the severe difficulties experienced
by patients with ME when they seek benefits and support. This is not
conspiracy theory or paranoia but a daily reality for many patients,
families and carers.
Over many years it has been demonstrated that numerous viruses are
associated with ME, the most common being enteroviruses with herpes viruses
(glandular fever etc) coming second.
People do die from the illness (Jason et al. Health Care for Women
International 2006:27:615-626). The tragic story of Sophia Mirza, who died
aged 32 from ME, has been published, together with her medical records.
These demonstrate the ideological commitment of some clinicians to the
somatoform model of the illness and the ignorance and inhumanity of some
members of the medical profession, including sectioning of a very sick woman
and accusations, in this and other cases, of MSBP (Munschausen's syndrome by
proxy) with parents having only limited access to their children or even
banned from any contact.
The offer of only behavioural modification and incremental aerobic exercise
(CBT and GET, upon which the payment of benefits is contingent), which are
management techniques and in no way curative, as allegedly effective
treatments for people with a severe neurological disorder is unethical, and
a betrayal of doctor's Hippocratic oath. Many surveys by ME charities,
including the 25% ME Group for the Severely Affected that represents the
most severely ill have shown that CBT has no lasting value and that GET is
positively harmful. The most severely affected are almost totally excluded
from any research studies since they are housebound or bedbound.
The recent discovery in the US of the retrovirus, XMRV, in ME/CFS patients
emphasises the urgent need for biomedical studies. The acclamation of the
three subsequent studies that failed to find XMRV by those who subscribe to
the behavioural model of ME (which did not attempt to replicate the US
study) serve merely as vehicles to discredit any suggestion that ME/CFS is a
serious organic disease.
Following the demonstrated association of a retrovirus with ME/CFS, the
Canadian and New Zealand governments have banned patients with ME from
serving as blood donors. This accords with the current UK position that
people with ME must refrain from donating blood.
If Sarah Boseley attends the forthcoming Invest in ME conference on 24th May
at 1, Birdcage Walk, Westminster, she will hear international experts
addressing most of the above topics. She will be one of the few medical
journalists who appear willing to listen and learn in order to understand
more fully the complexities of the chronic multi-system illness that is ME.
I look forward to meeting her there.
Malcolm Hooper (Professor)