The CDC Problem – The CDC attempted to explain away the patients explosion of frustration at their Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) program as the result of a well organized plot by the CFID’s Association of America. They haven’t yet come up with a good explanation for the avalanche of criticism visited upon them by the professional community. Instead of responding to the IACFS/ME, the federal advisory committee on CFS (CFSAC) and numerous professionals they appear to have buckled down to run out the storm. The storm has been raging for the last year and with Annette Whittemore calling for a Congressional Investigation into anemic federal response to CFS and Dr. Reeves fanning the flames with his comments on ME/CFS patients next big hope, it doesn’t show any signs of letting up.
And yet thus far – so far as the patient community can tell – nothing has made any difference. Dr. Reeves continues to act with impunity, making promises and then breaking them quickly afterwards. Hilary Johnson’s recent blog exposed considerable dismay among the rank and file at the CDC but there’s no sign yet that administration officials themselves are feeling the heat.
They may be soon. For the first time an investigative journalist has joined the fray. Jim Walls at Atlanta Mainstream, located in the CDC’s hometown, Atlanta, just raked the CDC’s CFS team over the coals for the pitiful program they’ve run. In truth he’s just dipped his toes into the murky water that has been the CDC’s CFS research program over the past couple of years. We could really do with a full blown investigative series. Let’s make it happen.
If real change is going to come its going to come now. Change is coming anyway; the discovery of XMRV, accomplished that but how far that change will go, though, is partially up to us. Lets bring some heat – check out the article, give Jim Walls some hits, and leave your comments. Lets give him a reason to start really digging.
Maybe we can finally get our missing partner – the media – involved in taking a good hard look at the biggest chronic fatigue syndrome program on the planet.