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CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME |
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Exclusively Online* Media CoverageThis list represents original content posted to news and information web sites.
Wire stories and press releases have been published to scores of sites around the globe; those sources are not repeated here.
2008 Coverage In “Opening the Floodgates: Wrongful Dismissal and Punitive Damages,” an article posted on The Court, an online site of the Osgoode Hall Law School of Canada’s York University, writer Jakki Warkenton chronicles the case of CFS patient Kevin Keays, a former Honda Canada employee who was terminated by the company because of his illness. He sued for wrongful termination; while lower courts agreed and awarded damages, Honda appealed and the case is on its way to the Canadian Supreme Court with the issue of punitive damages at its core. (Canada) (4/30/07)
http://www.thecourt.ca/2007/04/30/opening-the-floodgates-wrongful-dismissal-and-punitive-damages/ ImmuneSupport.com issues a “Call [For] All Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients and Advocates” to attend the May 16 – 17 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee meeting at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. The site calls this “an important opportunity for patients - as well as the committee of experts - to state our case to top CFS budget decision makers in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.” (4/27/07)
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/7949 The Weight Loss Information blog has posted the Association’s list of tips for people with a family member or friend who has been diagnosed with CFS. (“When a Loved One Has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – What Do You Do?”) (4/24/07)
http://weightloss.blogonarticles.com/2007/04/25/when-a-loved-one-has-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-what-do-you-do/ ImmuneSupport.com reprints “Chlamydia Pneumoniae in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia - An Opinion, by Patient Advocate James Kepner” from the Chlamydia Pneumoniae (Cpn) Help website. Kepner, Chlamydia pneumoniae patient advocate, “argues for the involvement of Chlamydia pneumoniae in at least a subset of CFS and FMS patients,” and “outline[s] how Chlamydia pneumoniae’s known biology and impact on the body could explain some of the characteristic symptoms and signs of CFS.” (4/26/07)
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/7938 The FMSGlobalNews blog posts an interview with CFS Advocate and Phoenix Rising founder Cort Johnson. In it, he decries the lack of research into the disease and urges patients to get involved: “By ensuring that our patient advocacy organizations … are strong and by becoming strong advocates for CFS, CFS patients can produce the kind of political pressure that will make it possible to maintain and increase the scope of these programs.” (4/23/07)
http://fmsglobalnews.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-interview-with-cort-johnson-phoenix-cfsorg/ The Improvement Network notes that Scandinavian medical journal Acta Neurologica Scandinavica has published an update on CFS in its May issue. (4/19/07)
http://www.tin.nhs.uk/sys_upl/templates/PT_Directory_RSS/PT_Directory_RSS_details.asp?id=90696&pgid=1523&tid=153 An April 16 posting on FluPatrol.com describes the success champion skater and CFS patient Donna Flowers had with the drug Valganciclovir, usually prescribed to treat human herpes virus-6. (4/16/07)
http://www.flupatrol.com/2007/04/16/anti-viral-drug-found-effective-for-cfsme-sufferers/ A 24-year-old CFS/ME patient discusses her pain and frustration with the illness in a video posted on YouTube.com. She describes in particular the affects of CFS on her professional life and the loneliness she feels. (4/11/07)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovfR4A7MpLc A posting on ImmuneSupport.com summarizes “On commonness and rarity of thyroid hormone resistance: A discussion based on mechanisms of reduced sensitivity in peripheral tissues.” Published in the journal Medical Hypotheses, the researchers reassess commonness and rarity of congenital versus acquired RTH (resistance to thyroid hormone). They “hypothesize that observed clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism [low thyroid] in chemically euthyroid [normal thyroid] patients are typically caused by changes in hormonal systems, autoimmune antibodies, metabolites or other substances in the body, leading to reduced sensitivity to TH in peripheral tissues. These changes may be a by-product of other processes and a reversible biological response in the body, and may also result in chronic acquired RTH. Antibodies may prove to be the most common cause of chronic reduction in TH sensitivity.” (4/09/07)
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/7894 The BBC’s sports Web site profiles former West Indian cricket player Richie Richardson, who retired from the game because of the problems caused by CFS. (4/04/07)
The reports of a study entitled “Usefulness of an abnormal cardiovascular response during low-grade head-up tilt test for discriminating adolescents with Chronic Fatigue [Syndrome] from healthy controls” are summarized on ImmuneSupport.com. Twenty-seven adolescents with CFS and 33 healthy control subjects with equal age and gender distribution underwent 15 minutes of 20-degrees head-up tilt-testing. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure (BP), mean BP, diastolic BP, stroke index, total peripheral resistance index, end-diastolic volume index, and acceleration index were continuously and noninvasively recorded. The study concluded that adolescents with CFS have significant abnormalities of cardiovascular regulation in response to mild orthostatic stress, differentiating them from healthy controls. (4/10/07)
A brief note in the April 10 issue of Virus Weekly reports on recent research from Brussels, Belgium, newly published in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, which states that “Patients with CFS present a disordered sleep pattern and frequently undergo polysomnography to exclude a primary sleep disorder. Such studies have shown reduced sleep efficiency, a reduction of deep sleep, prolonged sleep initiation, and alpha-wave intrusion during deep sleep.” (4/10/07)
Another short April 10 Virus Weekly report notes that London-based researchers found that “enhancement of negative feedback control of the HPA axis in patients with CFS has been reported using the low dose dexamethasone suppression test. We have developed the use of prednisolone (5mg) as a more physiologically appropriate alternative to dexamethasone in the investigation of mild degrees of glucocorticoid resistance or supersensitivity …” The results were published in Psychoneuroendocrinology. (4/10/07)
On ProHealth’s ImmuneSupport.com site, Dr. Dale Guyer, MD, a family physician and director of The Advanced Medical Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, explains his holistic, evidence-based approach to testing and treatment, which involves the use of selected pharmaceutical drugs as an additive to appropriate nutritional support and other measures ‘to normalize a complex internal bio-chemical milieu.’ (4/05/07)
An April 4 posting on the Living With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome blog includes a link to the Association’s My Cause Web page and encourages people with CFS and their families and friends to support raising funds for CFS. (4/04/07) A March 31 posting on The Glyconutrients Blog describes a trial by researchers at the University of California, Irvine in which they added glyconutrients (a blend of eight natural sugars) to the blood cells of people with CFS in order to investigate the in vitro immunomodulatory effects. They concluded that “glyconutrients improved abnormal immune parameters in vitro in patients with CFS.” ("The in vitro immunomodulatory effects of glyconutrients on peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome") (3/31/07) An article titled “The Psychological Component of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” notes the importance of treating the psychological as well as the physical affects of the illness. (Associated Content) (3/30/07)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/191768/the_Psychological_component_of_chronic.html The Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at Great Britain’s University of York publishes a report of a project in which researchers reviewed the results of 70 trials to determine whether any particular intervention or combination of interventions is effective in the treatment, management and rehabilitation of adults and children with CFS/ME. Trials examined included cognitive behavior therapy (CBT); graded exercise therapy (GET); immunological, pharmacological and complementary/alternative therapies; and supplements. They concluded that “over the last 5 years, there has been a marked increase in the size and quality of the evidence base on interventions for CFS/ME. CBT and GET have shown promising results in reducing the symptoms of CFS/ME and improving physical functioning. There is a need for research to define the characteristics of patients who would benefit from specific interventions and to develop clinically relevant objective outcome measures.” ("The treatment and management of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyeltis in Adults & Children") (3/27/07) On ProHealth’s ImmuneSupport.com site, Dr. Kent Holtorf, MD, medical director of the Holtorf Medical Group Center for Hormone Imbalance, Hypothyroidism and Fatigue in Torrance, Ca., responds to a patient-posted question about testing for and treating hypothalamic, pituitary, immune and coagulation dysfunction. Holtorf asserts that “there is a mixture of underlying causes of CFS” and discusses immune dysfunction, coagulation problems, low thyroid, adrenal insufficiency and growth hormone deficiency. ("Kent Holthorf, MD, on treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia - an update") (3/27/07) The blog ClipClip offers “101 Sure-Fire Ways to Get a Good Night Sleep,” including tips on sleep routine, environment and aids; relaxation techniques; pre-sleep rituals; daytime habits; sleep itself; consulting a doctor; and ways to overcome sleep disorders. (3/27/07) In her LivingWithChronicFatigueSyndrome blog, Catherine Morgan discusses “Exercise and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” She cites recently published studies in the British Medical Journal and the Medical Journal of Australia, provides suggestions for a graded exercise program and links to video workouts that might be suitable for CFS patients. (3/26/07) A post on the AllYourNutrition blog says that a “study links nutritional supplement, creatine, to increased metabolic energy.” It says that Sinclair Smith, Sc.D., assistant professor of occupational therapy in Temple University’s College of Health Professions, has found a link between creatine and metabolic energy. Results of a study in which the researchers analyzed the effect of naturally produced and supplemental creatine on the rate of muscle metabolism using non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques during exercise and rest were published in a recent issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology. ("Study links nutritional supplement, creatine, to increased metobolic energy")(3/23/07) A posting by Catherine Morgan on the LivingWithCFS blog directs patients to the CDC’s Toolkit for Healthcare Professionals, both through a direct link to the site and excerpts from its contents. Morgan also includes a 7-minute video of Dr. Julie Gerberding at the Nov. 3, 2006 press conference. (“Helpful Information From The CDC For Family, Friends, And Physicians, Of Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”) (3/23/07) The March 14 edition of Morning Rounds, the email newsletter of the American Medical Association, quotes the March 12 Chicago Tribune article about CFS with the headline “CDC says chronic fatigue a significant public health threat.” It also mentions the public awareness campaign. (3/14/07) A press release posted on EMediaWire.com notes that a “Disabled Woman Awarded $15.4 Million Dollars in Landmark Healthcare Suit Against Prudential Insurance Company of America.” Darla Johnson filed suit against Prudential Insurance for the unlawful termination of benefits under her disability insurance policy. She bought into a group plan providing coverage for income replacement if she became unable to work. In May 1995, Johnson was diagnosed with lupus, fibromyalgia, CFS and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and had to stop working. After approximately five years of paying benefits, Prudential terminated her benefits. (3/14/07)
On March 14, the Catalan Parliament (Spain) accepted the Popular Legislative Initiative on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME and Fibromyalgia (FM), presented by representatives from 80 percent of the people with CFS/ME or FM who are in associations in Catalonia. Its acceptance is a first step towards a world-first: a law that would ensure proper services for people with CFS/ME and FM and a fair treatment by health care professionals. This post is on the Parliament’s web page (note: the English translation is not functioning). (3/14/07) Link no longer active. An excerpt originally published in What Doctor’s Don’t Tell You, Vol. 6, No. 9 titled “Chronic Fatigue: A polio by another name” is posted on the NNSeek blog. It asserts a relationship between the virus that causes polio and CFS and describes research into post-polio syndrome. (3/08/07) A post on the LivingWithCFS blog offers a free video to send to friends and relatives of those living with CFS. The 9-minute video explains the symptoms and affects of the disease and offers tips to help the CFS patient. The post also includes the Spark! campaign’s television PSA. ("A video explaining the condition and needs of people suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome") (3/07/07) On the LivingWithCFS blog on WordPress, CFS patient Catherine Morgan posts an essay entitled “One Lesson From A Decade of Fighting A Chronic Illness” in which she discusses “grieving for the loss of the person you once knew — while learning to be the person you have become” and says hers was a lesson of acceptance. (3/07/07) A posting by Terry Barrett on EzineArticles wonders “Is Diet A Treatment For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?” It says that “[o]nce [a]ffected with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, carrying extra weight might cause your condition to last longer and result in you being more [a]ffected than in patients of normal weight” and offers a list of diet-related suggestions. (3/06/07) The ElaineTanBlackboard blog lists “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Coping Strategies” including establishing a partnership with your healthcare team, not blaming yourself for your illness, journaling and more. (3/05/07) On BeyondTheBlog, CFS patient Anthony North describes his “Healthy Life Plan,” summarized as “A.M.H.”: antioxidants, moderation, happiness. (3/05/07) In “Is Diet A Treatment For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?”, CFS patient Terry Barrett suggests that sufferers of CFS who carry extra weight may be able to speed their recovery by reducing some of this excess. (GoArticles.com) (2/28/07) UltimateDailyHealth.com has posted a “CFS 101” primer with basic facts about the illness. (2/27/07) In “How to Deal with a Chronic Fatigue Relapse” on GoArticles.com, CFS patient Kristi Patrice Carter offers tips to avoid and deal with a relapse. (2/27/07) An article by Dalvin Rumsey on ArticleManiac.com describes the “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Candida Connection.” (February 2007) PsychiatricServices.com, a service of the American Psychiatric Association, offers a review of Essays in Social Neuroscience, a book that brings together the fields of ethology, genetics, primatology, neuroimmunology and endocrinology. The editors have assembled 11 scholarly essays to build rapprochement between social and cognitive neurosciences. (2/26/07)
http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/58/3/421-a A number of Cleveland, Ohio-area patients and CFS advocates respond to the recent Associated Press story about CFS, the public awareness campaign and advocacy efforts. Read their comments on The News-Herald website. (2/25/27) British ME patient Linda Crowhurst has posted a video on YouTube in which she describes her life with a severe form of the illness. (11/06) A Feb. 14 posting on the Chronic Fatigue Treatments blog discusses the natural enzyme NADH as a potential treatment for CFS. (“NADH as a treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.”) (2/14/07) In a new podcast on MedicineNet.com, Dr. Melissa Stoppler, editor, discusses what CFS, how to cope with it and how to manage the symptoms.(2/13/07) A poster to the KeepWorkingGirlfriend.com, “a community for women (and interested men) to tell the truth and seek support as they navigate the territory of successful employment (or business ownership) in the face of ongoing health challenges,” describes the difficulty of talking with others about chronic illness. (“Talking about chronic illness - what’s enough?”) (2/13/07) Clinical Nutritionist Blake Graham of the Australian College of Environmental and Nutritional Medicine in Perth, Australia, cites CFS researcher Dr. Paul Cheney in his “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Elimination Detox Diet,” developed to asses food sensitivities in CFS patients. (Detox.net, 2/08/07) Co-founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association Karen Lee Richards argues for “A New Name for CFS” in this Feb. 8 posting on About.com. (2/08/07) A posting on the Barbara’s Tchatzaks blog by Marina Vataj entitled “Wake Up and Smell the Real Deal on Fatigue” discusses the CDC’s acknowledgement of CFS as a real disease. It lists symptoms and statistics and provides the CDC’s website address. (208/07) Geert Vandeplassche asks “Is Hemispherx BioPharma Undervalued?” in this posting on SeekingAlpha.com. He describes CFS and mentions the awareness campaign in this discussion of the testing of Ampligen as a CFS treatment. (2/08/07) In an article published on Feb. 4 on the online medical Web site Medical News Today, University of Alberta researcher Dr. Karin Olson argued that there are differences between tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion and that recognizing those distinctions will help health-care workers create better treatment plans for their patients. Olson studied fatigue in six ill and non-ill populations. (2/04/07)
The Society for Human Resource Management addresses workplace strategies of interest/benefit to higher-functioning people with CFS in this article by Kathy Gurchiek. (1/30/07) CBS News Online (1/26/07) Playfuls.com (11/24/06) (A technology and gaming info website based in Romania)
Campaign to educate about chronic fatigue http://www.playfuls.com/news_003055_Campaign_To_Educate_About_Chronic_Fatigue.html CDC News (11/22/06) InsideBayArea.com (11/13/06) MedicineNet.com (11/9/06) News-Medical.net (11/6/06) Muzi.com (11/5/06) (“The world’s premium English-Chinese bilingual portal”) eCanadaNow.com (11/4/06)
Chronic fatigue syndrome awareness campaign launched http://www.ecanadanow.com/science/health/2006/11/04/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-awareness-campaign-launched/
DogFlu.ca (11/4/06) Chronic fatigue syndrome affects millions by Victor d’Angelo http://www.dogflu.ca/11042006/10/chronic_fatigue_syndrome_affects_millions CBS (11/3/06) WebMD.com (11/3/06) FoxNews.com (11/3/06) Medical News Today (11/3/06) The Age (Australia) (11/3/06) News5 Chicago (11/3/06) News8 Austin (11/3/06) WLBZ2 Bangor, Maine (11/3/06) Spiritindia.com (11/3/06) PharmaLive.com (10/30/06) About.com published a story in its Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome section by Karen Richards titled. "Are You a Victim or Victor?" http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/copingstrategies/a/victimvictor.htm On Mayoclinic.com there is a newly posted article called "Fatigue: When to rest, when to worry" by Mayo Clinic staff. 8/16/06. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fatigue/HQ00673 *Reports that appear in traditional print and broadcast formats often are posted to the source’s web sites. In this section, we report stories that originated with online sources.
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