When journalist David Tuller asked for crowdfunding in 2017 to support his research and writing on ME for a year, he had already demonstrated his commitment to a rigorous examination of the many problems and issues associated with the PACE trial. That crowdfunding campaign was successful in part because of his track record and determination to continue working on this story.
Tuller has now launched a 2018 campaign to fund his work for another year, and I believe he has more than proven that he is worth the investment.
At the beginning of 2018, Tuller published a progress report of his work from the first half of the one-year commitment he made. In addition to posts on Virology Blog, Tuller spoke on panels, co-authored a piece with Julie Rehmeyer, wrote letters to multiple scientific publications and traveled to conduct extensive interviews. He also withstood a complaint by Dr. Esther Crawley’s institution about his journalism. Media and public pressure generated by Tuller, Unrest, and the scientific community led to changes in CDC’s recommendations on CBT and GET and the planned review of NICE treatment guidelines.
Since that update in January, Tuller has reported even more developments. The Netherlands may drop the GET treatment recommendation. A brief debate on the PACE trial was held in the UK Parliament. And Tuller has co-authored several articles for peer reviewed publications.
Tuller does not take sole credit for any of this. But there is no doubt in my mind that his work does deserve a solid share of the credit. Investigative journalism is a powerful tool, and Tuller is a highly skilled journalist.
There is something else you should know about Tuller: this is personal for him. He may have started this journey as a neutral observer, but the PACE-Gate scandal shocked him into action. Tuller has already committed to continue working on this story for another year, regardless of whether his current fundraiser fully succeeds.
No one should take this commitment lightly. For a journalist of Tuller’s experience and caliber to devote half of his time for a year is rare in the world of ME. And Tuller has already demonstrated that he offers a great return on our investment.
Tuller’s crowdfunding goal is $75,000 by April 30th and he is already almost halfway there. I hope you will join me in making a contribution, if you are able to do so. And regardless of your financial support, please read and share David Tuller’s work. He can help us keep the pressure on and put the bad science of PACE behind us.
Have doubled last year’s donation, and am spreading the word.
He’s worth every penny – and a lot more. I don’t think they saw him coming, and we NEED him.
Jennie, thank you very much for this posting. David Tuller has done an enormous amount of excellent work for the world-wide ME community. What a rare opportunity to have such a skilled investigative journalist, who also has a PhD in public health assisting with this health crisis. He is planning to visit Canada at some point. I totally agree with you, and Alicia, we NEED him!
Thanks for the reminder, Jennie. I just donated. Always grateful for reminders as I so easily forget and had forgotten this. David Tuller is a hero!
Well said, Jennie.
David Tuller is speaking to ME SA in Adelaide, South Australia this Tuesday 10th April.
I am looking forward to hearing him and grateful for the opportunity the ME community has provided to enable him to travel to far distant places. Thanks and blessings to everyone; it is so special when we all get involved.
Thank you David for all you have done to raise awareness of the poor quality of the PACE-gate science, it is simply stunning that a study that is being used as an example of how not to do science is still being used as the basis for treating people with ME/CFS. Still waiting for QMUL to release the objective raw data from the PACE trial STEP tests.
And my GP wants me to do another prescription for exercise, the GP has no time to read up on latest info. about M.E. even when handed the printed version by me their patient.
Like most of you, I am not rich. But I found a way to donate last year and I’m going to again this year.
Yes Rivka, whatever we can donate, no matter how small it all adds up and Dave’s work is so very important.
David’s work is so important. He not only investigates and write, but speaks and pushes our agenda forward. I will pitch in my small amount, but can someone find a big donor?
Thanks for reminding us, Jen. Your writing is so great too.
Bobbi
Thanks Bobbi!
Prof Michael Sharpe’s response to this blog post on Twitter around 18 hrs ago: ‘This is what researchers who are studying aspects of CFS/ME that activists don’t want studied are up against.’
My question is why don’t the researchers who are trying to understand what causes ME/CFS and all the things that go wrong in the body of an ME/CFS patient complain of abuse or harassment? The likes of Ron Davis, Jose Montoya, Nancy Klimas, Robert Naviaux and many others have never gone on record with such complaints. If anything, they praise the contribution of the ME/CFS community, with Montoya saying that all ME/CFS patients deserve an apology from the medical and scientific communities for the lack of understanding of this disease.
Prof Sharpe was vague on precisely what his concerns were with Dr Tuller’s crowdfunding campaign, but I’d like to make the following observations:
– he uses the term ‘activist’ – a very emotive word – instead of ‘patient’ to try to reduce the credibility of those in the ME/CFS community
– if the work he has been involved in is solid, he should have no concerns. In fact, he should welcome the views of credible commentators (and just because someone disagrees with you, they do not lack credibility)
– science and medicine advance by challenging existing ways of thinking, benefiting everyone.
Thank you for posting this. David Tuller well deserves our support.
I will pitch in as I did last year.
His is a voice we need, one that promotes real scientific investigation
and treatments, not phony so-called “treatments” and false studies.
Right on, David Tuller! Best wishes for a good year of advocacy
and science.
Don”t forget the Exxon knew campaign also involved journalists. And student journalists as well right? Meanwhile in reality while this was occurring journalists were not just making gross errors in reporting, they were ignoring requests to make corrections and information handed straight to them. What”s happened with the antifracking movement is one of the scandals of our time and at this point I believe it isn”t being covered because journalists are part of the story. And that”s not because I lean toward believing conspiracy theories, though we all can be susceptible, but rather because I have contacted and heard back from too many reporters who it seems are just refusing to do their job. Oreskes by the way called the climate scientist Hanson a climate denier simply because he wasn”t on board with the mark Jacobson plan and supported nuclear energy. She had an opinion published saying this. No one it seems is safe from her wrath.
David Tuller built a momentum for the ME Community in the UK to ask the Government Health Org NICE to review the guidelines for ME. They said no but surprised us all a couple of weeks later by approving the redefinition of the NICE Guidlines. It will take 2 yrs but at least we got a seat at the table.
Donated and shared, as I did last year. Thank you, David.