Why 'CFS' is a wastebasket diagnosis

I've been to two meetings and one conference in the last week regarding M.E. and the one thing that screams out at me from them is that this is a dustbin diagnosis. Even the clinicians that spoke said it. The term CFS and its criteria has made the problem much worse. It's almost as if certain parts of the medical profession have indulged in self-preservation.

sounds great. Now try and get a grant to start researching 1% of the work that needs to be done. Let's draw up a cost analysis for this research and then go to the government and ask for the money. Mind you, we will have to stand at the back of the line after cancer, heart, blood pressure, psychiatric, weight loss researchers. We should get the lion's share for this type of research. And don't forget that the tax payers will be funding it, so there should be no problems. I'll go and get ready!

Good on you hummingbird, I agree! It's a joke diagnosis...imagine if they did all this bull diagnosis for a broken leg!

Dr Bruce Carruthers, our local specialist here in Canada, has just retired and is writing a couple of books, one of which is about what you wrote: "doctors must return to the age-old medical principals of correct diagnosis (a) careful history, (b) detailed physical examination and (c) appropriate investigation". You may want to keep en eye out for it, he's quite passionate about this subject. Cheers

Alright, you talked me into it, I'll check out your hummingbird website properly, looks like I've got some reading to do... I like reading but my brain does not...

A+ video.

so true.

Good video. Like the visual metaphor.