For years our ME/CFS patient community has felt ignored and abandoned by our federal government. While other diseases got attention and research funding, ME/CFS got pitifully little except a few dimes and lip service. All that seems to be changing. With the Request for Information (RFI) issued on May 24, 2016, the National Institutes of Health invited the ME/CFS patient community to participate in setting new directions in research into this disease. 

Our Association's Board of Directors signed on to two letters with suggestions to NIH, one with a comprehensive list of suggestions, and one specifically about clinical trials for Ampligen and rituximab. Both letters were prepared by members of the U.S. Action Working Group, in which our Association is a participant. Two earlier letters were also re-submitted to become part of the response to the RFI, one focused on research, and one with suggestions on getting input from the ME/CFS community. In addition, several members of our Board of Directors sent individual responses to the RFI. We hope that some of you did as well. Patients and advocates finally have a seat at the table. Now we can and must speak up.