Posted by Cort Johnson The 10 year review of the CDC’s CFS Research program is winding up. They’ve taken an internal look and an external look at the program and an un-solicited outside look . They liked the external look – it glossed over many of the more substantial problems with the program – and were likely horrified at the
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The Best, Worst, Biggest, Least…2008 in a Nutshell
Posted by Cort Johnson Most Remarkable Achievement (of the Decade) – As funding at the NIH and CDC plummets a major research/treatment center, the Whittemore-Peterson Neuro-Immune Institute – begins to rise out of the deserts of Nevada just over the hill from Incline Village. The WPI is a testament to the tenacious commitment of three people; Annette and Harvey Whittemore
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‘The More You Know the More You’ll Want to Give’: the first Enteroviral Foundation Opens
Posted by Cort Johnson I first met Lisa Faust at the Symposium on Viruses in 2008. She was at a table with a group of women all of whom were battling a similar sounding illness. They were definitely the acute onset infectious disease subset. My mouth dropped as I listened to their stories; some were on complete disability, others had
ContinueDan Moricoli at the IACFS/ME Conference
Posted by Cort Johnson Dan Moricoli was no shrinking violet before he came down with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) three years ago. A business owner, internet marketer, motorcycle racer, skiing enthusiast and deep-sea fisherman Dan was, in fact, something of an adrenaline junky. At sixty Dan’s idea of coming down from the stress of work was to race motorcycles. But
ContinueThe NIH On the Clock Pt. III: It’s Raining Money
Posted by Cort Johnson That’s right – in the midst of the greatest economic contraction since the depression the NIH has, all of sudden, found itself in the greatest single expansion in its history. How and why demonstrates how much influence one Senator can have. Desperate to get Arlen Spectors vote on the stimulus package, the Obama administion acceded to
ContinueComing Home: Dr. Peterson at the IACFS/ME Conference
Posted by Cort Johnson Reno (the Littlest Big City in the World’) is not your typical conference destination but it was hard to imagine a better spot for the 9th International IACFS/ME meeting. Much water has passed under the bridge since the plight of those Incline village residents made headlines across the country thrust this disease back out into the
ContinueRoadtrip – Reno Conference
Posted by Cort Johnson I didn’t intend to blog about my trip to the conference but the trip was for me, like for other ME/CFS patients, half the battle. Several people I talked to at the conference noted how difficult travel was. My ability to travel has increased greatly over the past few years. I no longer worry about being
ContinueOn the Clock Pt II: The Winners and Losers in the NIH Money Game
Posted by Cort Johnson Dr. Hanna at the NIH has repeatedly said that given the tight budgetary times there’s just no money for ME/CFS. A look at NIH funding across the past few years suggests, however, there’s more to the issue than she suggests. Underneath the seemingly placid surface of a stable budget a fierce fight goes on every year
ContinueFrom the Wastebasket to the Inbox; Progress in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
Posted by Cort Johnson Dan Moricoli, the creator of the CFSKnowledge and the me-cfsCommunityCenter has just posted a fascinating account of his recent discussion with Dr. Nancy Klimas, a prominent ME/CFS researcher and physician. It seems that researchers are much closer to cracking some significant problems than we know.
ContinueZombie Patients From the ICU
Posted by Cort Johnson What do infection, stress, over-exercising and the intensive care unit have in common? Different researchers believe that each can trigger a chronic fatigue syndrome-like (ME/CFS) state. A recent article in the New York Times added a short stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) to the list.
ContinueOn the Clock Pt I: the NIH and ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome)
Posted by Cort Johnson We know the ME/CFS research program at the CDC is in big trouble but what about its cousin at the NIH? Three years ago the CFIDS Association of America was praising the CDC’s chronic fatigue syndrome program and slamming – in a federal document – the horrible performance of the NIH’s ME/CFS program. The only thing
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