Recently there has been a major focus on the questionnaire that assesses whether participants meet the criteria to send us their saliva sample (their DNA). After the study’s initial test launch in January, we received some really informative feedback from the first set of test participants going through our process.
As part of the PPI Steering Group and the Cohort Delivery Team, we worked with other members of both groups to carefully consider all of this. Combining the test participants’ feedback with our knowledge and experience of ME/CFS, the questionnaire has been completely rewritten. This now makes it simpler, more streamlined, and more direct.
Our new DecodeME questionnaire gives us greater confidence that all eligible participants will meet our study criteria – improving the power of the final DNA analysis. (It’s worth noting that, as with everything else, the DecodeME criteria were chosen after careful consideration with a range of people with ME/CFS and carers, even before we applied for funding.)