MEDICAL MATTERS
- Medical Matters features questions asked by Members of the ME Association on health-related topics.
- Dr Charles Shepherd and the ME Association's other advisers answer these questions by sharing their expert knowledge.
- Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor’ series in ME Essential magazine.
- It is a free resource that supplements the detailed information contained in the full range of literature that can be found in the website shop.
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Questions in the Category: Ramsay Research Fund
MEA Ramsay Research Fund –administration costs
I am considering making a large donation to help fund biomedical research into the cause or treatment of ME. I know that there are several ME charities both here and abroad that fund biomedical research into ME. But I only want my money to go direct to research. So please can you let me know how much of my donation would go to administration costs if it went to the MEA Ramsay Research Fund.
Post-mortem research – age restrictions
I was very pleased to read that the ME Association is once again going to be organising and funding post-mortem research – this time in conjunction with the Manchester Brain Bank. Please could you explain why the upper age limit for accepting post-mortem requests is set at 50.
Research: Post-Mortem
What is happening to post-mortem tissue research into ME/CFS at the moment? Is the ME Association still funding and carrying out any postmortem research? And have any significant abnormalities been found in the post-mortems that have been carried out so far?
Treatment: Apheresis
Are you aware of a new treatment called apheresis that is being given to people with Long Covid? It is supposed to remove small blood clots that are involved in causing Long Covid. Some of the overseas clinics that are treating people with Long Covid are also offering apheresis to people with ME/CFS and I know of several people who have travelled abroad to have apheresis – with mixed results. So why isn’t apheresis also being made available to people with ME/CFS here in the UK?
Diagnosis: Buspirone Challenge Test
I didn’t think there was a blood test for ME. However, my doctor wants to arrange for me to have what is called a buspirone challenge test. If this test can be used to confirm a diagnosis of ME, why isn’t it being used more widely?
Prevalance: Population Estimates
The MEA always uses a figure of around 250,000 when you refer to the number of people in the UK who have ME/CFS. But where does that figure come from? And how accurate is it?
Metabolomics
What is metabolomics? And why is the MEA funding research into metabolomics?
Dr Charles Shepherd
Dr Shepherd has been Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association for more than 40 years. He is integral to the charity's activities and provides information and support based on his professional knowledge, personal experience as a doctor with ME/CFS, and the understanding gained from helping many thousands of people with the condition. He was a member of the comittee responsible for the 2021 NICE Clinical Guideline and is a recognised expert on ME/CFS in the UK. His knowledge extends to Post-Viral Fatigue Syndromes (PVFS), Myalgic Encephalopathy/Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) or Long Covid.
If you have questions about ME/CFS or Long Covid, you can:
- Review the free information in the What is ME/CFS? section of the website, and the free Covid-19 and Long Covid information in the website shop.
- Review the largest range of literature covering all aspects of living with ME/CFS. Download detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, management, co-mordities, employment, education, related health conditions, The 2021 NICE Clinical Guideline, welfare benefits etc.
- Join the ME Association as a member and you'll receive the highly-rated ME Essential magazine, and you can ask questions of the charity’s expert advisers including Dr Shepherd.
- Contact us via the ME Connect Telephone Helpline (open 365 days a year) and speak to one of the national team of fully-trained volunteers who waiting to provide information and support.
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Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor‘ series featured in the highly-regarded member’s magazine, ME Essential, and in the healthcare professional magazine, ME Medical. Both are produced by the ME Association and published as hard-copy magazines every 3 months and sent to members and healthcare professionals by post to home or business addresses.
If you are an HCP you can sign-up here to receive ME Medical magazine (people with ME/CFS can also nominate their HCP by completing the sign-up form).
