The MEA has been working with the BBC in order to get some coverage of the XMRV story to coincide with the first anniversary of publication of the famous Science paper.

BBC news items on Friday, 8th October concentrated on the UK angle – the decision by the Department of Health to extend the ban on people with ME/CFS from donating blood to those who have recovered from their illness. This ban will come into force on 1st November.

In the early morning, the item was broadcast on the following stations:

BBC Radio 4, Today, 6.54am

BBC Radio 5 Live, Breakfast, 8.36am

BBC Radio Scotland, Good Morning Scotland, 6.04am

BBC Radio Newcastle, News, 7.03am

BBC Radio Derby, News, 7.03am

BBC Radio Gloucester, News, 7.03am

BBC Radio Humberside, News, 6.32am

BBC Radio Somerset Sound, News, 8.02am

BBC Radio West Midlands, News, 7.03am

And from 9am onwards various local BBC radio stations including:

BBC Radio Leicester, 9.10am

BBC Sheffield

BBC West Midlands

BBC Glasgow

In the afternoon, our medical adviser Dr Charles Shepherd was in the studio at BBC Radio Gloucester where he was interviewed by a further 12 BBC local radio stations.

The XMRV blood donation ban story also appeared  as the lead item on the BBC health website at around midnight on Wednesday, October 7.

Tony Britton

Publicity Manager, The ME Association

Tel: 01406 370293  Mob: 07880 502927

PS There’s a link to our fairly long summary of the XMRV story so far up on our website at https://meassociation.org.uk/?p=2240

And our correspondence with the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health about the blood ban is at https://meassociation.org.uk/?p=1611