The Why: The Historic ME/CFS Call To Arms
The Why: The Historic ME/CFS Call To Arms is a book by journalist and author Hillary J. Johnson about ME/CFS.
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| Author | Hillary J Johnson |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | ME/CFS, Chronic fatigue syndrome, |
Publication date | April 26, 2022 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 92 |
| ISBN | 978-0578398471, 0578398478 |
| Preceded by | Osler's Web |
Background[edit | edit source]
Synopsis[edit | edit source]
If you have acquired Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (a.k.a. "chronic fatigue syndrome") in recent years, you may have wondered why the U.S. government has done so little to promote research or understanding of this life-destroying disease. If you are looking for answers, The Why was written for you.Scientific bias, doctors behaving badly, and misappropriation of federal ME research dollars all have played a role in the controversy. In The Why, I unravel deception by the Centers for Disease Control during the first 25 years of the ME epidemic that have fueled all the above. Here are eight questions my book answers.
When did ME begin? What is the origin of the false name "chronic fatigue syndrome?" why are well-established biological abnormalities found in ME and published in the medical literature excluded from the government’s ME diagnostic criteria? why has CDC refused to establish a national reporting system for ME? Why has the federal government crushed rather than encouraged attempts to isolate a causative pathogen in ME? How did the specious but prolonged argument over whether ME is "real" or "not real" begin? Who has benefited from the CDC's longstanding policy of disregard for ME? Have any laws been broken?
The Why shows how disabled sufferers were left vulnerable to everything from quack therapies to hate speech to financial impoverishment. Understanding this history may provide ME patients an ability to go toe to toe with a federal health agency that continues to harm rather than help. Raise your ME I.Q. Break the cycle of abuse and end the spread of ME.
— from Amazon[1]
Reception[edit | edit source]
Online presence[edit | edit source]
- The Why: The Historic ME/CFS Call To Arms - Amazon page
- Osler's Web - author website
- YouTube
See also[edit | edit source]
- Osler's Web
- Hillary Johnson
- Medical neglect and abuse
- Stigma and discrimination
- Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)
Learn more[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.
bias Bias in research is "a systematic deviation of an observation from the true clinical state". (Learn more: me-pedia.org)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a U.S. government agency dedicated to epidemiology and public health. It operates under the auspices of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a U.S. government agency dedicated to epidemiology and public health. It operates under the auspices of the Department of Health and Human Services.
The information provided at this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any illness.
From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history.
