Summary
- On February 10, 2025, Baroness Finlay of Llandaff asked how the UK government's cross-government delivery plan for ME/CFS would ensure collaboration with patient advocates, philanthropy, and industry partners to secure additional funding for biomedical researc
- Baroness Merron replied on the 25th of February, stating the Government is committed to improving care for ME/CFS, with a task group including officials, specialists, and patient advocates. The final ME/CFS delivery plan, focused on research, education, and improving patient lives, will be published by end of March 2025.
- She also states that the Government currently funds research into ME/CFS through the NIHR and MRC, and they remain committed to funding high quality research into ME/CFS this way.
On the 10th of February, 2025, Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench) and member of the House of Lords, asked the following written question to the government. This was answered by Baroness Merron, member of the House of Lords on the 25th February 2025.
Question:
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff to ask His Majesty's Government how the cross-government delivery plan for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome will ensure collaborative work with patient advocates, philanthropy and industry partners to leverage additional funding for biomedical research.
Answer:
The Government is committed to better care and support for people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). We have reconvened the ME/CFS Task and Finish Group, including senior Department and cross-Government officials, ME/CFS specialists and researchers, representatives from NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Medical Research Council (MRC), the devolved administrations, ME/CFS charities, and organisations and patients with lived experience of ME/CFS.
We cannot comment on the exact content of the final delivery plan at this time, but it will be shaped by responses to the 2023 consultation on the interim delivery plan, alongside continued stakeholder engagement via the ME/CFS Task and Finish Group, with three broad themes of boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of those living with ME/CFS. We aim to publish the final delivery plan by the end of March 2025.
Research is an important pillar of the delivery plan for ME/CFS. Future planned action to support research in this area will take a cross-sectoral and inclusive approach, recognising the value of patient and public representatives in particular.
The Department funds research on ME/CFS through the NIHR and the MRC. The NIHR and the MRC remain committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment of ME/CFS, and are actively exploring the next steps for stimulating further research in this area. The MRC and NIHR currently fund research through a variety of routes, including infrastructure, research programmes, capacity building, through for example research fellowships, and, in the case of the NIHR, research delivery to support recruitment to studies. The NIHR welcomes the opportunity to work collaboratively with partners, including patient representative groups and industry, to stimulate further research in this area.