Dr Stanley Du Preez, MD PhD 2026 online talk: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis | Evidence-Based Management

[Dolphin]

Dr Stanley Du Preez, MD PhDDr Du Preez is a clinician-scientist whose doctoral research was undertaken specifically in ME.

His PhD, completed at the National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, characterised transient receptor potential ion channel function in the natural killer cells of patients with ME.

He has authored several peer-reviewed ME publications, including first-authored original research and co-authored systematic reviews.

He also volunteers with ME Group Australia to enhance clinician awareness and care provision.

Clinically, he manages medical conditions within a Queensland Health hospital service, and intends to develop a specialist practice in Clinical Immunology with a focus on ME, motivated by the paucity of Australian clinicians with expertise in this condition.ORCID Profile: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4305-5250

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Myalgic Encephalomyelitis | Evidence-Based Management

Dr Du Preez explores evidence-based diagnosis and management of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), a serious neurological disease, with particular emphasis on Post-Exertional Neuroimmune Exhaustion (PENE) as its defining feature.

He discusses the International Consensus Criteria (ME-ICC), clinical assessment, severity, pacing, management of orthostatic intolerance and other co-occurring conditions, and pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches.

The presentation also addresses the complex care needs of people with severe and very severe ME, the risks of harmful interventions such as Graded Exercise Therapy (GET), and concerns about outdated Australian clinical recommendations.

The central message: recognise PENE, provide appropriate individualised care, prevent deterioration, and above all, do no harm.

Slide Deck: https://megroupaustralia.org.au/wp-...829-Dr-Stanley-Du-Preez-MD-PhD-Slide-Deck.pdf

 

[Sasha]

The central message: recognise PENE, provide appropriate individualised care, prevent deterioration, and above all, do no harm.

Given some of what other bits of the forum make it clear what we're up against, I wonder if we should all be wearing badges reading, 'First, do no harm'.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

Given some of what other bits of the forum make it clear what we're up against, I wonder if we should all be wearing badges reading, 'First, do no harm'.

Indeed, but I could do without neuroimmune exhaustion and ICC.
I am afraid that the blurb sounds to me like Dr Du Preez is setting up a nice little earner in dubious ME/CFS care. That may be wrong but if so he might do well to make that clear in the blurb.
(We don't even know if immunology is that relevant to ME/CFS.)

 

[Utsikt]

There are lots of recommendations about supplements and medications. The usual suspects. Surprisingly, he sometimes acknowledges that there is no evidence for them, yet they keep recommending them.

This is the slide on pacing:


The diaries are useless in most cases and the HR ceiling is not supported by evidence.

The paper they cite is an awful meta analysis that completely misses the point about pacing. It’s not an intervention, it’s a management strategy. And it has nothing to do with «PENE physiology», being consistent with that is irrelevant. About as irrelevant as brain retraining being consistent with the predictive processing model!