More on RSM Conference

From Christine Gow

RSM conference on `CFS'
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To: Dr John Scadding, Dean,
Royal Society of Medicine

Dear Sir,

As someone who has suffered from the dreadful
symptoms of M.E. for the last 18 years. I am deeply
concerned, perplexed and saddened to hear of the
forthcoming RSM conference on `CFS', as you like to
call M.E, being held on April 28th and to note the
heavy bias of speakers who for the most part are
made up of psychiatrists and the very real lack of
biomedical Researchers to give this Conference a
balanced and equitable overview of M.E.

I wonder why this is, given that it was recognised
and classified as a neurological disease by the WHO?

The reality for children and Adults with M.E. in the
UK continues to be dire and I list some of the
reasons why this is so:

Sparcity of funding being given for the excellent
biomedical research being carried out by scientists
such as Dr Kerr, Dr Gow, Professor Malcolm Hooper,
Prof.Garth L. Nicolson PhD, Dr Paul CheneyM.D.,
Ph.D, Dr Vance Spence, to name but a few and which
will ultimately lead to realistic help and treatments
which can allow us to regain our health.

The lack of compassion and belief shown by certain
members of the medical profession and the NHS

Due to the debilitation of M.E. the majority of people
cannot speak up in protest at the horrendous
experiences they are subjected to.

The Lottery of being denied DLA, or having it and
then losing it, because we do not fit the criteria that
has now been cleverly worded by health insurers on
behalf of the government, which excludes us,
regardless of our healthcare needs.

Being at the mercy of medical professionals, who do
not seem to be aware of the extensive biomedical
research which has already proven the organic nature
of ME.

A lack of knowledge about how to diagnose
children/adults with M.E., which leads to
misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatments and adds to
an exacerbation of our existing health problems.

Denial of physical tests that can show the physical
abnormalities that are now known about and found in
Children/Adults with M.E.

Large amounts of money being given to CBT and
GET, Which I personally find deeply insulting and
offensive to my intelligence and would be more likely
to cause me a relapse, when through my own efforts
I have managed over time to return to employment
and wish to continue with this status quo, even if it
is at the expense of any social life.
The blurring of the name Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
to the ragtag one size fits all CFS, which trivialises
and in no way describes this multisystem
neuro-immune-endocrine-vascular disease and which
for lack of good diagnosis and treatments people are
dying from.

Perhaps on my behalf, since I am excluded from
attending this conference, you could ask Professor
Wessely and his cohorts which of their therapies will
talk my mitochondria abnormalities back to health

The sad fact is that it is costing society and
government coffers far more money having large
sections of society, who have M.E, on long term
benefits, not by choice, at an age when they would
normally be healthy, productive, employed, and
contributing to society instead of expending the
money needed on biomedical research and
treatment, which would allow us to regain our
health. Very short-sighted indeed.

It is shameful and untenable that not only do we
have to contend with an illness that has been
likened to certain end stage cancers, this we live
with every day of our life, but then are denied any
treatments other than CBT or GET, unless we can
find ways to fund them ourselves, which is difficult
to do when you are forced to live on disability
benefits.

To finish with. I would like to ask why there appears
to be some secrecy surrounding the organisation of
this Conference. Can you tell me why it was set up
and by whom? Who decides who is invited? Have
members of the press been invited to attend? Can
you also assure me that no delegates invited to
speak are affiliated or have interests on behalf of
any health Insurance companies? Will there be a
transcript available that I can access?

Lastly, I would like to finish with a well known quote
by Abraham Lincoln:

"You can fool some of the people all of the time and
you can fool all of the people some of the time but
you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

Regards
Christine Gow

Chrisinscotland@aol.com