Tag Archives: XMRV

NIH Time Warp

Let’s take a quiz. I have a letter that was sent on behalf of Dr. Francis Collins, Director of NIH, to a person with ME, and I want you to guess when that letter was sent. Here’s an excerpt: First, … Continue reading

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Answering Attacks

When I posted about the “truthiness” I saw in a comment by Dr. Mikovits, I expected criticism. I’ve heard from folks in the comments, on Twitter and Facebook, and by email. I think some of the points and questions raised … Continue reading

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Facts, Not Spin

I need to speak out about something, in part because I’m afraid no one else will. I’ve been following the comments posted in the FDA docket on ME/CFS, and I came across this comment from Dr. Judy Mikovits: During the … Continue reading

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Mental Illness Meme

When it comes to press coverage of CFS and XMRV, there is a pervasive mental illness meme that must be addressed. It goes something like this: XMRV/viruses do not cause ME/CFS. Therefore, it could be a mental illness. Patients strongly … Continue reading

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Those Lipkin Samples

You may recall from my post on the Lipkin study that Dr. Lipkin talked about the sample cohort at the press conference on September 18th. Dr. Lipkin said that the samples would be available for other investigators and that applications … Continue reading

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Stick a Fork In It

After three years of controversy about the purported association between CFS and XMRV, and after two years of waiting for the definitive Lipkin study to be finished (full text of the paper is here), we have our answer. Stick a … Continue reading

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The News on XMRV

I am going to refrain from any comment on the XMRV study results announced today until I have had a chance to read the paper, listen to the press conference, and think about the whole thing for a few hours. … Continue reading

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Passing of Dr. William Reeves

Unexpected news came today that Dr. William Reeves passed away last night. Dr. Reeves was head of the CDC’s CFS program from 1992 through 2010, and was a polarizing figure both inside and outside the agency. Others have chronicled the … Continue reading

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NIH Funding and the XMRV Effect

The largest pool of money available for investigator-initiated CFS research grants is the NIH. Although miniscule relative to other areas of research, $6 million a year is the largest annual research investment in CFS from any source. Given the significance … Continue reading

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2011 NIH Spending on CFS Studies

At the June 2012 CFS Advisory Committee meeting, Dr. Susan Maier from the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health reported that NIH funding of CFS research in 2011 totaled $6.3 million. In the past, advocates have questioned whether studies … Continue reading

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