During the publication of the report on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome / myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS / ME) 9.6.2006 I expressed strong concerns that the report would have negative consequences for patients. Especially I expressed the requirement to undergo graded exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy for the granting of benefits would have disastrous consequences for those affected.
It was unfortunately not many weeks before the statement was true – discounts in insurance law with reference to the findings of the report. In the meta-analysis of the Knowledge Centre is included internationally criticized studies. They have methodological weaknesses, partly because treatment trials are done on heterogeneous populations (selection bias). It is problematic to generalize findings to patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis, because one cannot know which patients in a heterogeneous group that has benefited from the treatment. Those who wrote the report chose knowingly omitting information about major user surveys showing that graded exercise therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy generally either do not work or are injured.
You can read the rest of this comment here: http://tidsskriftet.no/2006/10/brev-til-redaktoren/et-tilbakeskritt-pasientene
Source: Stormorken E. A step backwards for the patients. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2006 Oct 19;126(20):2688-9; author reply 2689. [Article in Norwegian] http://tidsskriftet.no/2006/10/brev-til-redaktoren/et-tilbakeskritt-pasientene (Full article)