Posted by Cort Johnson This blog from someone in the Phoenix Rising Forums illustrates some of the decisions that confront people who have the misfortune to be both unhealthy and poor. What does one do, for instance, when one only has a few dollars left at the end of the month for some stew and an onion costs 75 cents. Shouldn’t everyone be able
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XMRV in the Spotlight
Posted by Cort Johnson XMRV was next up at the mike at the CFSAC meeting. First Dr. Peterson went over the published research one more time. Hearing it again simply reinforced what an extraordinary discovery XMRV may be. His presentation was, in some ways, though, really just a prelude to Dr. Coffin’s presentation. The co-author of the major text in
ContinueAtlanta Journalist Smacks the CDC
Posted by Cort Johnson 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
ContinueCFSAC Pt I – The Art of Evasion
Posted by Cort Johnson It was as if someone had transported the CFSAC committee to a different planet. Down from their small perch on at top of the building into the main lobby with the banks of lights shining down and three cameramen following their every move one wondered if this might be what the future looks like. The people
ContinueTeflon Woman
Posted by Cort Johnson With her smile and her ingratiating matter Dr. Hanna is the NIH’s Teflon woman for ME/CFS. As Dr. Reeves punches up his next dazzling 20 minute PowerPoint presentation Dr. Hanna throws her few tidbits into the mix and shuts up. It’s remarkable how little interest there has been in what is arguably the most important federal
ContinueThe Alpha Dog
Posted by Cort Johnson Tantalized by the opportunity to make a difference the ME/CFS community let loose on the CDC over the past year. To its credit the CDC’s review process allowed for that. Missing the Forest for the Tree – The CDC, however, is not the main game in town – they’re not the alpha dog we vitally need
ContinueA CFS Chart on Every Doctor’s Wall
Posted by Cort Johnson Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is complicated. That’s bad enough for patients but for many physicians it’s entirely too complicated – the last person they want to see walk thru their office door is a chronic fatigue syndrome patient. Given the lack of chronic fatigue syndrome specialists – that’s a big problem – there are no substitutes
ContinueXMRV – the Potential For Change
Posted by Cort Johnson “A supernova (pl. supernovae) is a stellar explosion. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy” This discovery has the potential for being a world changing event in every way for chronic fatigue syndrome patients. If it really works out – still an if – one almost
ContinueXMRV – Puppet Master?
Posted by Cort Johnson The idea that XMRV could be a kind of ‘puppet master’ (eg. Dr. Bell) that allows other infections such as EBV or HHV6 or Lyme or enterovirus to become exacerbated is generating discussion. Dr. Coffin suggested such in his article “A New Virus For Old Diseases”. Dr. Huber, a researcher studying endogenous viral elements in ME/CFS has
ContinueXMRV/XAND Information Center
Posted by Cort Johnson The discovery of the XMRV retrovirus in most chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients appears to be a demarcating point in the history of this illness. The publication of the study in Science, the most prestigious scientific journal in the world, by a stellar cast of researchers from the National Cancer Institute, the Cleveland Clinic and the
ContinueGame Changer
Posted by Cort Johnson “Hopefully this will finally make people change their attitudes to this disease.” Dr. Judy Mikovits The news had been in the air for the last week; the Whittemore Peterson Institute was going to publish something big – really big – on Friday. Then early Thursday the news was out – a retrovirus had been
Continue“Solving CFS’ and Stepping Into The Digital Age
Posted by Cort Johnson The CFID’s is coming of age in the digital age. SolveCFS, a new website, is a nice step forward for the CFID’s Association. If you haven’t looked the CFID’s Association has been on a roll lately. Check these projects of the past few years: A sucessfull research initiative They hired a well known researcher, Suzanne Vernon,
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