Tag Archives: treatment

Insufficient Data

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

One of the most frustrating aspects of coping with CFS is the lack of definitive data. A PubMed search for “chronic fatigue syndrome” yields 4,877 results (as of today), but as a patient on the front lines I have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Rest Medicine

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

I have been working really hard at resting. That probably doesn’t make sense, but I have been struggling to incorporate preemptive rest into my routine and it feels like a lot of work. The rationale for preemptive rest is that … Continue reading →

Posted in Occupying | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

FDA Webinar on Advocacy

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

Yesterday, the FDA hosted a webinar for the ME/CFS community on “Working Together for Change.” Their stated goal was to show what has been successful for patient groups in the past in working with FDA and other entities. The slides … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Puzzle Pieces

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

Let’s play a game. Imagine you have a large puzzle that makes an Impressionist picture of a colorful cottage-style garden. You can put it together as long as you have the picture on the box. First you assemble the lower … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Patient Focused Drug Development

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

The FDA hosted a public meeting this morning to discuss the Patient Focused Drug Development (PFDD) initiative. The meeting was available via webcast, and a transcript will be published on the FDA website. CFS is on the list of candidate … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Mary Dimmock’s Comments to the FDA

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

Mary Dimmock presented a shortened version of these comments at the FDA meeting today on the Patient Focused Drug Development initiative. She has kindly given me permission to post her comments in full here. My name is Mary Dimmock and … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

FDA Input Sought

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

As part of its commitment under the recently approved Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA V), the FDA will be conducting an initiative, called the patient-focused drug development initiative, to provide for a more systematic approach to obtain the patient’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

This. Is. Why.

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

I’m on the verge of tearing my hair out, and I suspect I’m not the only one. The American Academy of Family Physicians published a review article about CFS (paywall) on Monday, accompanied by a patient information sheet. From the … Continue reading →

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Another CFSAC Done Gone

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

The CFS Advisory Committee held its second meeting of the year on October 3-4, 2012. Last time, I organized my summary around the good, the bad, and the WTF moments. This time, I am organizing around the discussion themes. Overall, … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Will FDA Step Up?

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Jennie Spotila

The Federal Drug Administration held a conference call today to speak with CFS patients, advocacy groups and other interested parties. This is the first time in the history of this disease that FDA has communicated with the patient community in … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , | 25 Comments