Health knowledge made personal
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One of our committee members wrote to Vincent Cable MP about the recent NICE Guidelines on ME/CFS Here is a copy of his response: Thank you for your correspondence regarding the recent NICE Guidelines on ME/CFS. One of the main obstacles to the adequate treatment ME is the lack of knowledge and consensus about the disease. There are many theories as to the causes of the disease but no conclusive proof to fully support any of them. This is why it is vital that more research is done into the causes and progression of this difficult to diagnose condition. What is not in doubt is the very real physical and psychological damage caused by this disease. The Liberal Democrats have long argued that funding and research must be focused on the ‘biomedical’ factors involved and not just simply managing the ‘psychological’ issues. Whilst I welcome the fact that NICE conducted an investigation into ME/CFS, I do understand and empathise with the concerns raised about the findings. The ineffectiveness of the Randomised Controlled Trials is just one weakness. In failing to recognise the biomedical problems of ME sufferers, the NICE guidelines also fail to recognise the needs of ME sufferers. To help address the unique challenges posed by a complex and poorly defined condition like ME, the Liberal Democrats believe in the establishment of an independent scientific committee to oversee all aspects of ME research. We would also like to see the government and the Medical Research Council work with ME sufferers and biomedical researchers in order to achieve a proper understanding of the condition, challenge unjust perceptions and consider the issue of research funding. Finally, whilst we welcome the establishing of local centres to focus on ME we feel the NHS is still too centralised and too unresponsive to the needs of patients and families. We believe the special needs of those suffering conditions like ME can be better addressed by empowering patients and making the NHS more accountable at a local level. Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact me about this serious issue. Yours sincerely, [signed] Vincent Cable MP |
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