Alan Gurwitt

Alan R. Gurwitt, MD, retired adult and child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst from Massachusetts, US, and Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association; formerly an Associate Clinical Professor, Yale Child Study Center and University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

He served as the President of the Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association from 1988 to 1992, and on the Guidelines Committee of the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Dr. Gurwitt developed a mild case of ME/CFS in August 1986 after two episodes of exposure to toxic chemicals used in horticulture and a bout of flu.

Education

• M.D., Yale School of Medicine

Writing Committees

Dr. Gurwitt was a member of the writing committee for several primers and manuals, including:

• 2006, A Pediatric Case Definition for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - (Full Text)
• 2014, ME/CFS: A Primer For Clinical Practitioners sponsored by the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Dr.Fred Friedberg chaired the committee. Other Primer writing committee members include: Rosemary Underhill, MB, BS; Lucinda Bateman, MD; Alison Bested, MD; Todd Davenport, DPT; Kenneth Friedman, PhD; Alan Gurwitt, MD; Leonard Jason, PhD; Charles Lapp, MD; Staci Stevens, MA; and Rosamund Vallings, MB, BS. Anthony Komaroff, MD wrote the foreword to the Primer. - (Full Text)
• 2017, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosis and Management in Young People: A Primer by Peter C. Rowe, Rosemary A. Underhill, Kenneth J. Friedman, Alan Gurwitt, Marvin S. Medow, Malcolm S. Schwartz, Nigel Speight, Julian M. Stewart, Rosamund Vallings and Katherine S. Rowe - (Full Text)

Articles and letters

• June 2012, Dr. Alan Gurwitt's letter to DSM-V Committee of the APA
• 26 June 2015, Health Rising blog by Dr. Gurwitt - No Signs of Life at the Big Health Agencies
• 9 Sept 2019, Dr Gurwitt calls for retraction of the paper in the BMJ about the Lightning Process Study writing that the "original findings was grossly inappropriate" - (Letter)

CFSAC

• Oct 2012, Presentation to the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee about the Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association including past and proposed projects.

Talks and interviews

• 19 Sep 2007, Fighting Back Against Chronic Fatigue in Everyday Health - (Article)

• 12 Apr 2017, Episode 87 - ME/CFS Diagnosis, children with ME, the medical community with Alan Gurwitt, M.D.
• 31 May 2018, Patient Advocate Spotlight: Alan Gurwitt, M.D. - (Interview)
• 2019, Dr. Ron Tompkins Interviews Dr. Alan Gurwitt about his ME/CFS Experience & Disease History - (Video)

See also

• Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association
• ME/CFS: A Primer For Clinical Practitioners
• Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosis and Management in Young People: A Primer

(APA) - The main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. Not to be confused with the American Psychological Association (also APA).

American Psychiatric Association (APA) - The main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. Not to be confused with the American Psychological Association (also APA).

See myalgic encephalomyelitis.

See chronic fatigue syndrome.

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.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC) - (sometimes pronounced SIF-SACK) A US government advisory council that met twice per year, covering current topics related to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Meetings usually lasted for two days and the results were presented to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). After 15 years, on September 5, 2018, CFSAC's charter was not renewed by the Department of HHS, effectively dissolving the committee without notice or warning.

See Chronic fatigue syndrome advisory committee.

chronic fatigue (CF) - Persistent and abnormal fatigue is a symptom, not an illness. It may be caused by depression, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome or many other illnesses. The term "chronic fatigue" should never be confused with the disease chronic fatigue syndrome.