Australia



There are estimated to be between 92,000 and 598,000 people in Australia with ME and CFS (based on prevalence ranges of 0.4-2.4%, depending on which definition of the condition is used).

In Australia, most doctors use the name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for diagnosis. Some patients prefer to use the term ME/CFS but many patients feel strongly that the most recent International Consensus Criteria should be followed and the name 'Myalgic Encephalomyelitis' should be used.

Medical guidelines
Patient organisations in South Australia, NSW, Victoria, ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania endorse the International Consensus Criteria. (see 'Patient Organisations' below for the list of websites).

State organisations, NCNED and patients are lobbying for the 2012 International Consensus Criteria to replace the 2002 Australian guidelines. These guidelines are used by NHMRC fellowship recipient Prof Andrew Lloyd, who also judges NHMRC grant applications (http://www.meaction.net/2016/01/20/australian-health-dept-answers-questions-on-me/)

http://www.meaction.net/2016/03/14/aust-ask-the-medical-research-council-to-fund-studies/

Australian Medical Association (AMA)
The AMA's website includes the 2002 Australian guidelines, which were produced by the RACGP.

National health department

 * http://health.gov.au

National Health and Medical Research Council

 * http://nhmrc.gov.au which is part of the Australian Department of Health.

State health departments

 * Victoria - Better Health - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for the public

Government health insurance
Medicare https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/dhs/medicare

Social security and disability benefits

 * A Disability Support Pension is available through Centrelink for people meeting strict criteria of dysfunction.

Access to care
How many hospitals & doctors, which diagnose and treat ME (estimate): Rehabilitation offers for ME sufferers:

Patient organisations
There is no national ME or CFS organisation in Australia, however there are patient organisations in each state and territory.


 * Emerge Australia (incl Victoria, Tasmania & Northern Territory but has members from all over Australia)
 * ACT ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Society
 * ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc
 * ME/CFS/FM Support Association, Queensland
 * ME/CFS and Lyme Society of WA
 * The ME/CFS & FM Association, NSW

Research
http://www.meaction.net/2016/03/03/news-report-breakthrough-on-diagnostic-blood-test/ http://www.meaction.net/2015/08/19/australian-research-into-mecfs-in-adolescents/

Research funding
http://www.meaction.net/2015/11/16/aust-senator-questions-government-on-lack-of-action-on-me/ http://www.meaction.net/2016/01/20/australian-health-dept-answers-questions-on-me/ http://www.meaction.net/2016/02/12/australian-health-department-pins-its-hopes-on-nih-research/

Research groups

 * National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED)
 * Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
 * Victoria University

Researchers

 * Henry Butt
 * Donald P Lewis
 * Michael Maes
 * Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik
 * Donald Staines
 * Andrew Lloyd
 * Brett Lidbury

Clinicians

 * Biomedical clinicians: Donald P Lewis (VIC), Rashmi Cabena (VIC), Richard Schloeffel (NSW)
 * GET/CBT clinicians: Michael Oldmeadow (VIC), Andrew Lloyd (NSW)

Notable patients

 * Alison Hunter, died 1996, aged 19, from complications related to ME/CFS. The Alison Hunter Memorial Foundation was established in her name, to raise much needed funding for research into ME/CFS, as well as raising awareness and advocating for the needs of people with ME/CFS. The Alison Hunter Foundation established a partnership with the National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED), at Griffith University (Queensland), and has since ceased operating as an independent charity, instead focussing on supporting the research being undertaken at NCNED.