Embarrasing for ME and You

[Guest guest]

Letter to The Guardian from The ME Association:

Editor

Nobody would deny that multiple sclerosis can be an extremely

unpleasant and disabling illness to live with. But so can ME/chronic

fatigue syndrome.

Having described how the neurological symptoms of the two illnesses

can be extremely similar, and thus lead to prolonged diagnostic

uncertainty, it was unfortunate that Georgina then went on

to perpetuate some of the disparaging attitudes and myths that

surround ME.

The World Health Organisation classifies ME as a genuine

neurological disease - as does the Department of Health. And several

research studies which have examined the effects of ME on

overall quality of life have confirmed that levels of disability can

be even more severe than found in people with relapsing/remitting

multiple sclerosis (reference provided below).

Yours sincerely

Dr Shepherd

Medical Adviser, The ME Association