King's College London

King's College London is one of the oldest universities in the United Kingdom. Several other notable institutions have merged with King's College over the years, including Guy's, King's and St Thomas's School of Medicine, and The Institute of Psychiatry.

Notable people

Florence Nightingale is one of King's most notable historical people.

The clinic

Professor Sir Simon Wessely was treating patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at the clinic for many years.

ME/CFS Researchers

• Simon Wessely
• Alicia Deale
• Trudie Chalder
• Rona Moss-Morris

Freedom of Information Act requests

King's College London refused to provide information requested about "substantiated claims of harassment of allegations of threats" to staff under the Freedom of Information Act, claiming this information was exempt from disclosure on the grounds that it may identify individuals. However, controversial researcher Sir Simon Wessely, who is employed by King's College has repeatedly identified himself as the victim of harassment, abuse and even death threats in a number of news articles.

Online presence

• PubMed
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Website
• YouTube

ME/CFS website

Kings was the UK’s biggest promoter of the biopsychosocial approach to CFS. From 2006-2021 it ran a multi-page website which gave an insight into the model. An archive of the website can still be found [1]

Their unit website said:

"The Persistent Physical Symptoms Research and Treatment Unit [&] is a national specialist service undertaking assessment, treatment and research regarding chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS, sometimes known as ‘ME’).  The unit is a partnership between King's College London, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre." 

& until 2022 stated that:

"Our routine treatment is cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), which has been shown in several randomised controlled trials to be an effective intervention for CFS/ME. We also provide Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) and are also now seeing patients with fatigue in relation to chronic diseases. " 

[2]

In response to the 2021 NICE guidelines update, the website was changed and service became targeted towards “fatigue, pain, irritable bowel symptoms and non-cardiac chest pain“ with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome notably largely removed and chronic fatigue put in its place. An assertion that “Our routine treatment is cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), which has been shown in several randomised controlled trials to be an effective intervention for CFS/ME” still remains:

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/persistent-physical-symptoms-research-and-treatment-unit-1

although it is absent from their other website: https://slam.nhs.uk/service-detail/service/persistent-physical-symptoms-research-and-treatment-unit-278

David Tuller covered this transition & Dr Charles Shepherd‘s letter to the service following the NICE update, in his blog: https://www.virology.ws/2022/08/09/trial-by-error-kings-college-london-still-promoting-discredited-cbt-get-deconditioning-paradigm/

Further links

• Wikipedia
• Institution

See myalgic encephalomyelitis.

See chronic fatigue syndrome.

biopsychosocial model (BPS) - A school of thought, usually based in psychology, which claims illness and disease to be the result of the intermingling of biological, psychological and social causes. (Learn more: me-pedia.org)

cognition Thought processes, including attention, reasoning, and memory.

cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - A type of psychotherapy geared toward modifying alleged unhealthy thinking, behaviors or illness beliefs. One of the treatment arms used in the controversial PACE trial.

See cognitive behavioral therapy.

See ME/CFS.

graded exercise therapy (GET) - A gradual increase in exercise or activity, according to a pre-defined plan. Focuses on overcoming the patient's alleged unhelpful illness beliefs that exertion can exacerbate symptoms, rather than on reversing physical deconditioning. Considered controversial, and possibly harmful, in the treatment or management of ME. One of the treatment arms of the controversial PACE trial.

graded exercise therapy (GET) - A gradual increase in exercise or activity, according to a pre-defined plan. Focuses on overcoming the patient's alleged unhelpful illness beliefs that exertion can exacerbate symptoms, rather than on reversing physical deconditioning. Considered controversial, and possibly harmful, in the treatment or management of ME. One of the treatment arms of the controversial PACE trial.

See Graded exercise therapy.

chronic disease a disease or condition that usually lasts for 3 months or longer and may get worse over time. Chronic diseases are long-term (typically incurable and requiring long-term management) but are not necessarily severe.

NICE guidelines Clinical guidelines used in the UK.