This is very well written. Thank you for a summary of the last century of ME/CFS. My own personal wish is that among the many ME/CFS biomarkers we now have in research labs, philanthropists and companies will partner with them to change the ME/CFS landscape forever.
One follow-up point I forgot: I think you drastically underestimate how many doctors still believe all chronic illnesses without a biomarker to be psychosomatic, even after Covid (if they've heard of them at all). If you look at med student and doctor forums on Reddit and elsewhere, they frequently stereotype patients with non-observable chronic illnesses as neurotic timewasters or teenage girls copying what they see on social media. For example, doctors have dubbed ME/CFS, POTS, and MCAS (plus Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) the "Tiktok triad," even though it's normal for people with ME/CFS to also have POTS and MCAS as comorbidities and all of these conditions unsurprisingly became more prevalent after Covid. Furthermore, Covid is politicized, with older and politically conservative doctors having more hostile attitudes to the idea of postviral illness in my experience. Multiple sclerosis was treated the same as ME/CFS is now until the invention of the MRI machine revealed the brain lesions and forced doctors to acknowledge it was real.
Thanks! I think it's important that this kind of stuff be as accessible as possible, but if you want to help support future work like this, I'd very much appreciate it. I'd love to be able to do these kinds of long-form scientific pieces more regularly.
As good as usual, Thomas. Thanks a lot for writing this up!
This is very well written. Thank you for a summary of the last century of ME/CFS. My own personal wish is that among the many ME/CFS biomarkers we now have in research labs, philanthropists and companies will partner with them to change the ME/CFS landscape forever.
Fantastic essay! Will be sending this one to the "but what if they find a treatment/cure" idiots in my life.
One follow-up point I forgot: I think you drastically underestimate how many doctors still believe all chronic illnesses without a biomarker to be psychosomatic, even after Covid (if they've heard of them at all). If you look at med student and doctor forums on Reddit and elsewhere, they frequently stereotype patients with non-observable chronic illnesses as neurotic timewasters or teenage girls copying what they see on social media. For example, doctors have dubbed ME/CFS, POTS, and MCAS (plus Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) the "Tiktok triad," even though it's normal for people with ME/CFS to also have POTS and MCAS as comorbidities and all of these conditions unsurprisingly became more prevalent after Covid. Furthermore, Covid is politicized, with older and politically conservative doctors having more hostile attitudes to the idea of postviral illness in my experience. Multiple sclerosis was treated the same as ME/CFS is now until the invention of the MRI machine revealed the brain lesions and forced doctors to acknowledge it was real.
Wow, this is so informative, it feels almost criminal to be able to read this for free😅
Thanks! I think it's important that this kind of stuff be as accessible as possible, but if you want to help support future work like this, I'd very much appreciate it. I'd love to be able to do these kinds of long-form scientific pieces more regularly.