CFIDS News

Top researcher investigated
Dr. Darryl See, a former associate clinical professor at the University of California Irvine (UCI) whose work has been covered in the Chronicle, is being investigated by the university for numerous ethical violations.

Dr. See, an infectious disease specialist, published a study in the February issue of the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association on the use of nutritional supplements and falsely indicated that it was funded in part by NIH. He also listed his affiliation with UCI, even though the university has no record of the research and he had left  the school five months earlier. He resigned after it came   to light that he had used patients' blood samples for research projects on AIDS and CFIDS without obtaining their consent or university authorization to do so.

Mannatech, Inc., the company that makes the supplements, is currently using the study in its marketing efforts. Dr. See has acknowledged that he has a financial relationship with Mannatech, and has received more   than $100,000 in speaker fees and research grants since 1998. In addition, his wife has been a distributor for the company since 1997.

According to the Orange County Register, UCI has opened an investigation and is reviewing all of Dr. See's research to determine whether he has failed to report financial interest in other companies that have funded his research and misused other researchers' funds. The university has also ordered him to stop identifying himself as a UCI researcher.

New faces at NIH
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has named Carole Heilman, PhD, acting director of its Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, which coordinates CFIDS research. She was previously with NIH's Division of AIDS, where she was instrumental in developing a grants program to speed   the pace of discovery and development of vaccines to prevent HIV infection. In November Dr. Heilman will  take over Dr. George Curlin's responsibilities as co-chair of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Coordinating Committee (CFSCC).

In addition, Dr. David Morens has taken over re-sponsibility for managing CFS grants at NIAID, a duty formerly performed by Leigh Sawyer, DMV, and will     become the Executive Secretary of the CFSCC. A medical epidemiologist with a background in infectious diseases,   Dr. Morens has a strong interest in difficult to diagnose conditions.

Association Executive Director Kim Kenney has met with both of the new appointees to discuss the CFIDS research portfolio as well as ongoing problems with the CFIDS research program at NIH.

Ampligen meeting postponed
The September/October Chronicle reported that a meeting to explore the creation of a CFIDS Ampligen Community Advisory Board had been scheduled for July 26-29 in Las Vegas. That meeting has been postponed. For updates about this event, call Trudy Rink   at 530/587-6428, or go online at http://www.cfids-cab.org.

Artist with CFIDS featured 
The work of Mary Degen, a photographer from Minneapolis, Minn., who has CFIDS, will be featured at one of the first national exhibits to exclusively highlight artists with disabilities. The show, "Through the Looking Glass: Fresh Perspectives by Artists with Disabilities" will run from August 5-September 29, 1999, at the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum in Oklahoma. Degen uses lighting and shadows to create images that represent the steps and stages of healing.

Painkiller prescribing made easier
Good news for those who are having trouble getting adequate pain management. State legislatures have begun passing laws that will shield doctors from prosecution for prescribing narcotics and other medications to treat pain.

Also helping fuel the movement is the fact that The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recently adopted standards under which hospitals, nursing homes and home care agencies must "recognize the right of patients to appropriate assessment and management of pain." Nineteen states now have laws in place to protect doctors who technically "overprescribe" painkillers, as long as the dose is medically necessary.