Action for ME (AfME) 2003 PACE Research Study Q & A
It is outrageous that insurance doctors or benefits doctors can judge people not to be trying to get better because they are pacing themselves and don't want to try graded exercise or CBT .
Will it include those unable to attend hospital regularly?
No. Their need for research is urgent. But the severely affected need special studies of tailor-made treatments- urgently.
Clinicians who have advocated for CBT and GET are leading the PACE trial. Will the results be biased?
No. Everything is strictly controlled to avoid bias and the results will be recorded by researchers acting independently. The Chief Executive and Principal Medical Advisor of Action for M.E. will be members of the PACE team, and we will help to make sure that the trial is fairly conducted. The Medical Research Council insist that all their funded trials are overseen by two independent committees, who oversee the ethical and quality aspects of the trial. The main committee (the Trial Steering Committee) includes an M.E. sufferer.
But why do it at all? Surely enough has been spent on CBT and GET?
The researchers were going to put in for a trial of GET and CBT without pacing, with every chance their bid could be successful.
We are campaigning for £35m to be spent on research to catch up with the backlog - and all to be spent on answering the mysteries of M.E. and finding the cause(s).
Although PACE fits with the MRC strategy, it was considered separately and will not affect any studies into causation.
The MRC have assured us of this fact themselves.
The aim of this trial is to compare four forms of management, all of which may be regarded as forms of pacing
pacetrial
titusLcarus 1 year ago