Australia



There are estimated to be between 92,000 and 598,000 people in Australia with ME/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. Most patients and patient organisations prefer to use the term ME/CFS.

Medical guidelines

 * Better Health VIC - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Social security and disability benefits

 * A Disability Support Pension is available 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
Currently, there is no national ME/CFS organisation in Australia, however there are patient organisations in each state and territory.


 * Emerge Australia (incl Victoria & Tasmania)
 * ACT ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Society
 * ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc
 * ME/CFS/FM Support Association, Queensland
 * ME/CFS Society of WA
 * The ME/CFS & FM Association, NSW

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

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.