BPS treatment trial evidence base -(Historic) and for David T especially Tom K has given permission to repost this from 2002..........!!!!
"Thanks Barbara. I don't actually remember writing that, but then I have written a lot on the Internet over the years."
Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2002 17:59:50 +0100
From: Tom Kindlon <tomkindlon@oceanfree.net>
Reply-To:
IMEGA-e@yahoogroups.com
To:
imega-e@yahoogroups.com
[My comments are not to be forwarded without permission]
Dear all,
The appended post has just been posted on Co-Cure so I'm forwarding it
without any knowledge about whether it is true or not.
I've added my comment below it:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Arie van Buuren" <a.vanbuuren@CHELLO.NL>
To: <CO-CURE@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU>
Sent: 03 September 2002 16:44
Subject: [CO-CURE] NOTICE: 2.6 million MRC funding for Psychiatry? (UK)
> [Posted on behalf of Stephen Ralph
stephen.e.ralph@BTINTERNET.COM ]
>
>
> Dear All,
>
> This information has just been passed to me and I can assure you that my
> source is both reliable and trusted.
>
> I have just been informed that the Medical Research Council is in the
> process of giving £2.6 million to a 4 year research project. Funding will
be
> given over the next 2 years.
>
> The project has three arms to it...
>
> Arm One:
>
> Research into the combined use of CBT and Graded Exercise as effective
forms
> of treatment for people with ME/CFS;
>
> Arm Two:
>
> Research into the use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on its own as an
> effective treatment for people with ME/CFS;
>
> Arm Three:
>
> Research into the use of "Pacing" as an effective form of treatment for
> people with ME/CFS
>
> The £2.6 million is to be split between several centres.
>
> Psychiatrist Professor Simon Wessely is to receive funding at his CFS Unit
> at Kings
>
> Psychiatrist Michael Sharpe and Dr Carson are to receive funding at their
> unit in Edinburgh
>
> Psychiatrist Dr White and Professor A J Pinching are to receive funding at
> Barts Hospital in London
>
> I understand that funding is also going to the Cardiff Group.
>
> Dr Findley's assistant Diane Cox has been approached to train up
> Psychotherapists and indeed Psychotherapists are being recruited.
>
> This £2.6 million has passed its "first review" within the Medical
> Research Council.
>
> This may of course explain why Action for M E with Professor Pinching as
> Medical Director are pursuing these very same forms of treatment with such
> vigour.
>
> I will pass on any more news as and when I get it.
>
> It would seem to me that...
>
> "think yourself better",
>
> "exercise yourself better" and
>
> "do as much as you can if first 2 fail"
>
> ... are indeed mantras that we will *all* have to look forward as "best
> practice" forms of medicine for our foreseeable future.
>
> This is 21st Century Healthcare
> ---------------------------------------------
> Co-Cure Web site:
http://www.co-cure.org/
> Send posts to mailto:CO-CURE@listserv.nodak.edu
> Join or leave the list at
http://www.co-cure.org/sub.htm
> Co-Cure is not a discussion list. Please do not reply to the list.
> ---------------------------------------------
My Comment:
ASSUMING
(I) it is true
and
(II) one doesn't feel that this is satisfactory (i.e. no research is
mentioned into "physical"/non-management areas),
I feel that one option open to us
is to call for an investigation into whether there was anything improper in
how these research groups got these "contracts"/grants; in particular, the
investigation could start by asking how come a panel that was supposed to be
"independent" and "fresh" (in the field of CFS/ME), contained:
(i) Alan McGregor who had co-authored papers on CFS with Simon Wessely, who,
IF one assumes this information is correct, has allegedly been given one of
the
"contracts"/grants
and
(ii) Philip Cowen had co-authored at least one paper on CFS with Michael
Sharpe who, IF one assumes this information is correct, has allegedly also
been given
one of the "contracts"/grants.
It may well be that there is nothing improper in all of this. However I
think an investigation e.g. by MPs, who were told that the panel that the
panel was fresh and independent, would be a good way to start to find out
for certain.
I have been away from the internet for much of the summer and haven't had a
chance yet to read the imega-e posts on the subject so perhaps I'm missing
something??
Tom
(who wishes to state that he is in now way insinuating that their might have
been any impropriety in awarding these grants, but would like to know for
certain and also wishes to say that he respects Prof. Pinching and Diane
Cox)
AND.......
Dear Tom,
Two points.
First, although I do not know Til Wykes, I certainly know of and have in a
past life met Professor McGregor who is a professor of medicine at Kings,
with an endocrine interest. Whether or not he has ever worked with
Professor Wesseley is entirely irrelevant. To suggest he is anyones camp is
miles off the mark. He is very strong intellectually and is fiercely
independent.
Second, this paranoia about the scientists on the panel risks damaging our
cause both in the short and the long term.
In the short term it makes us look unprofessional or worse when dealing with
the MRC, who know that suggestions of bias are ludicrous.
In the long term, attacks and e-mail gossip about serious scientists who are
at last taking an interest in the field through our success in the CMO
Report will only act as a deterrent to others.
We not only need a strategy for research, we need funding. But even if we
achieved all the funding possible, it will be wasted unless we can get guys
of the stature of Alan McGregor to want to carry out the research.
Instead we should be thankful that at last someone is taking a damn interest
after the years of neglect, and putting forward the needs of people with
M.E., particularly those excluded from research such as the severely
affected.
Chris Clark
Chief Executive
Action for M.E.
