Rainbow at shoreline

The Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association, a 501(c)3 founded in 1985, exists to meet the needs of patients with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) or FM (Fibromyalgia), their families and loved ones. The Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association works to educate health-care providers and the general public regarding these severely-disabling physical illnesses. We also support patients and their families and advocate for more effective treatment and research.

New ME/CFS Primer for Clinical Practitioners

Details
Last Updated: 08 January 2016 08 January 2016

Date: 5/15/2012

Dear Members, Colleagues and All who are interested in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
On behalf of the board of directors of the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (IACFS/ME), I am pleased to announce the release of the ME/CFS Primer for Clinical Practitioners. (ME/CFS and CFS/ME are equivalent terms.) The goal of the Primer is to provide the information necessary for clinicians to understand, diagnose, and manage the symptoms of ME/CFS. The text was developed over two years by the 11-member Primer Committee and externally reviewed by a number of international ME/CFS specialists and advocates.

Highlights of the Primer include:

  • A summary of the pathophysiological effects of ME/CFS to date
  • A user-friendly diagnostic worksheet utilizing the Canadian Consensus Criteria
  • Straightforward treatment suggestions covering an array of ME/CFS symptoms
  • Emphasis on post-exertional malaise and activity management
  • Sections on special populations/ problems (e.g. severely affected, pediatric ME/CFS, pregnancy)

The full Primer document is available on the IACFS/ME website (Link to Primer) in a printer-friendly format with a requested donation of $15 to help continue the work of IACFS/ME. We hope you find the Primer to be a useful adjunct to your practice and a worthy companion to your reference library.

With best regards,
Fred

Fred Friedberg, PhD
Chairperson
Primer Committee

President
IACFS/ME
www.iacfsme.org

Link to Primer

Notice about names

The Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association would like to clarify the use of the various acronyms for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Chronic Fatigue & Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) and  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) on this site. When we generate our own articles on the illness, we will refer to it as ME/CFS, the term now generally used in the United States. When we are reporting on someone else’s report, we will use the term they use. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies, including the CDC, are currently using ME/CFS. 

Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association changed its name in July, 2018, to reflect this consensus.