News in Brief - November 2026
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Week beginning 2nd November 2026
News, advocacy and articles
Bloomberg Chronic Fatigue (sic) Was Neglected for Decades. Then Came Covid
On increasing research effort into ME/CFS. Lucinda Bateman is interviewed and tells of her work over decades and of her sister, Shauna, who had ME. "For most of her career, Bateman says, the field lacked the science, funding and 'traction' needed to mount meaningful treatment trials. Now, at least, those trials have begun."
Article (archive) l Thread
Ireland - BCIL ME/CFS: “It’s Much More Than Fatigue”
Tom Kindlon on Living with the Condition and the Need for Better Support in Ireland
The Blanchardstown Center for Independent Living (BCIL) interviewed Tom Kindlon, a long-standing advocate with the Irish ME/CFS Association, for their Disability Matters radio show. A written summary of the show has been posted. An audio recording of the show will be available after about a week.
Written Summary | Thread
USA - #MEAction A Medicaid Win for Our Community in Court
A judge has ruled that "the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) exceeded its authority" when adding a provision requiring people to prove they're too sick to work. However, the fight's not over: "Work requirements still start January 1, other harmful parts of the rule remain, and CMS may appeal."
Article | Thread
Bateman Horne Center A Fall 2026 Newsletter has been published.
Newsletter (PDF) | Thread
.......
Coming events
NIH RECOVER Seminar Understanding Long COVID's impact on the heart and lungs
Tuesday, November 10 at 12:00 pm ET
Announcement | Thread
Solve ME Webinar The SIGNAL Study: Using Home-Based Treatments to Advance ME/CFS and Long Covid Research
Tuesday, November 10, 3-4 pm Pacific Time / 6-7 pm Eastern Time
Announcement | Thread
.......
Research news and commentary
The Sick Times Live blog: RECOVER-TLC third annual workshop shares updates on Long COVID clinical trials
Discussion of the third annual RECOVER-Treating Long COVID (TLC) workshop, hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), held November 4-5.
Article | Thread
......
Research
ME/CFS research
Severe and very severe ME/CFS – when healthcare is out of reach: A qualitative study — Hackl et al
"Healthcare professionals proposed regional specialised outpatient services that could also provide expertise to healthcare professionals outside specialist centres, while participants across all groups described a need for specialised inpatient options when hospitalisation was required."
Preprint | Thread
Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Multiple Sclerosis are associated with lower translocator protein binding affinity genotypes — Jones and Younger
"This exploratory analysis arose from incidental observations during the course of a parent study and requires replication in larger, more diverse samples of both men and women."
Preprint | Thread
Long Covid research
Timing of Long COVID Improvement in Prospectively Followed RECOVER-Adult Participants — Reeder et al
"fatigue and postexertional malaise were common across all subtypes" "among those with LC subtype 5 (multisystem symptoms), the cumulative probability of improvement within 2 years was less than 1 in 5"
Article | Thread
Receptor-binding autoantibodies are not associated with post-COVID fatigue — Achleitner et al
"We found no significant differences in the concentrations of the measured receptor-binding autoantibodies between participants with new-onset fatigue, pre-existing fatigue, and controls without persistent fatigue." "Individual antibody concentrations were also not associated with fatigue severity."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
News, advocacy and articles
Bloomberg Chronic Fatigue (sic) Was Neglected for Decades. Then Came Covid
On increasing research effort into ME/CFS. Lucinda Bateman is interviewed and tells of her work over decades and of her sister, Shauna, who had ME. "For most of her career, Bateman says, the field lacked the science, funding and 'traction' needed to mount meaningful treatment trials. Now, at least, those trials have begun."
Article (archive) l Thread
Ireland - BCIL ME/CFS: “It’s Much More Than Fatigue”
Tom Kindlon on Living with the Condition and the Need for Better Support in Ireland
The Blanchardstown Center for Independent Living (BCIL) interviewed Tom Kindlon, a long-standing advocate with the Irish ME/CFS Association, for their Disability Matters radio show. A written summary of the show has been posted. An audio recording of the show will be available after about a week.
Written Summary | Thread
USA - #MEAction A Medicaid Win for Our Community in Court
A judge has ruled that "the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) exceeded its authority" when adding a provision requiring people to prove they're too sick to work. However, the fight's not over: "Work requirements still start January 1, other harmful parts of the rule remain, and CMS may appeal."
Article | Thread
Bateman Horne Center A Fall 2026 Newsletter has been published.
Newsletter (PDF) | Thread
.......
Coming events
NIH RECOVER Seminar Understanding Long COVID's impact on the heart and lungs
Tuesday, November 10 at 12:00 pm ET
Announcement | Thread
Solve ME Webinar The SIGNAL Study: Using Home-Based Treatments to Advance ME/CFS and Long Covid Research
Tuesday, November 10, 3-4 pm Pacific Time / 6-7 pm Eastern Time
Announcement | Thread
.......
Research news and commentary
The Sick Times Live blog: RECOVER-TLC third annual workshop shares updates on Long COVID clinical trials
Discussion of the third annual RECOVER-Treating Long COVID (TLC) workshop, hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), held November 4-5.
Article | Thread
......
Research
ME/CFS research
Severe and very severe ME/CFS – when healthcare is out of reach: A qualitative study — Hackl et al
"Healthcare professionals proposed regional specialised outpatient services that could also provide expertise to healthcare professionals outside specialist centres, while participants across all groups described a need for specialised inpatient options when hospitalisation was required."
Preprint | Thread
Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Multiple Sclerosis are associated with lower translocator protein binding affinity genotypes — Jones and Younger
"This exploratory analysis arose from incidental observations during the course of a parent study and requires replication in larger, more diverse samples of both men and women."
Preprint | Thread
Long Covid research
Timing of Long COVID Improvement in Prospectively Followed RECOVER-Adult Participants — Reeder et al
"fatigue and postexertional malaise were common across all subtypes" "among those with LC subtype 5 (multisystem symptoms), the cumulative probability of improvement within 2 years was less than 1 in 5"
Article | Thread
Receptor-binding autoantibodies are not associated with post-COVID fatigue — Achleitner et al
"We found no significant differences in the concentrations of the measured receptor-binding autoantibodies between participants with new-onset fatigue, pre-existing fatigue, and controls without persistent fatigue." "Individual antibody concentrations were also not associated with fatigue severity."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
Week beginning 9th November 2026
News, advocacy and articles
Trial By Error by David Tuller Olympian Beth Dobbin Appeals to Prime Minister for ME/CFS Research
On the excellent advocacy work of Beth Dobbin, news coverage and discussions about it on social media.
Article l Thread
WHO Long COVID toolkit for health-care workers
A 30 pages digital pamphlet with basic information on providing care for Long Covid patients.
Toolkit l Thread
USA - #MEAction MEAction Staff are Fighting for Your Medicaid!
Information on how changes to Medicaid policy could impact the ME/CFS and Long COVID communities.
Article | Thread
Bateman Horne Center Recap from the "Navigating the Healthcare Industry" support group
Notes from the November 3 support group including some suggestions shared by participants.
Recap (PDF) | Thread
........
Coming events
Grassroots Project Webinar Medical Frailty Exemptions: Why They Matter for People with Disabilities and Older Adults
This webinar is related to proposed changes to Medicaid in the USA, see registration link for more details.
Monday, November 16 at 3 pm ET
Registration | Thread
Aotearoa New Zealand ME Support AGM
Saturday 21st November at 1100 (NZDT) via Zoom. Guest speaker is Dr Anna Brooks, cellular immunologist and flow cytometry specialist at the Liggins Institute, researching Long COVID and ME/CFS.
Registration | Thread
UK Action for ME Webinar Updates on DecodeME and Sequence ME & Long Covid
Tuesday 1 December 2026, 2–3 pm
"The webinar will feature Professor Chris Ponting from the University of Edinburgh and Sonya Chowdhury, Chief Executive of Action for ME, who will share updates on both studies, including progress to date and the next steps for the research. There will also be time for your questions."
Announcement | Registration | Thread
........
Research news and commentary
USA - NIH RECOVER Latest RECOVER-AUTONOMIC clinical trial results
A trial of Gamunex-C, a form of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), did not have significant impact on symptoms of severe postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) following COVID-19.
Article | Thread
........
Research
ME/CFS research
Exploratory shotgun metagenomic analysis of microbiome–symptom relationships in post-infectious Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome — Vizioli et al
"findings suggest that understanding the gut microbiome in PI-ME/CFS may require moving beyond the search for a single disease-associated microbial signature toward investigating how microbial features relate to symptom heterogeneity."
Article | Thread
Personalized cognitive and physical Telerehabilitation in post-COVID-19 condition and ME/CFS: A pilot randomized controlled trial — Azcue et al
"No robust intervention-related improvement in physical outcomes was demonstrated."
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Serum proteomic profiling identifies transforming growth factor β receptor as a marker of persistent symptoms up to 18 months after mild SARS-CoV-2 infection — Ueland et al
"These findings together with proteome analyses may suggest that molecular pathways related to ECM remodeling and immunity could be involved in the pathogenesis of PCC."
Article | Thread
Persistent exertional dyspnea following mild COVID-19: potential association with diaphragm impairment — Regmi et al
"In this exploratory study of non-hospitalized individuals with long COVID and persistent dyspnea, we observed lower [Twitch Transdiaphragmatic Pressure] and lower right hemidiaphragm thickness compared to controls."
Article | Thread
Macronutrient Intake and Clinical Manifestations in Adults with Long COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the BioICOPER Study — Rodríguez-García et al
"In age- and sex-adjusted models, higher absolute intakes of total fat and saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were associated with lower odds of being in a higher frailty category." "These three associations remained significant after Benjamini–Hochberg correction."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
News, advocacy and articles
Trial By Error by David Tuller Olympian Beth Dobbin Appeals to Prime Minister for ME/CFS Research
On the excellent advocacy work of Beth Dobbin, news coverage and discussions about it on social media.
Article l Thread
WHO Long COVID toolkit for health-care workers
A 30 pages digital pamphlet with basic information on providing care for Long Covid patients.
Toolkit l Thread
USA - #MEAction MEAction Staff are Fighting for Your Medicaid!
Information on how changes to Medicaid policy could impact the ME/CFS and Long COVID communities.
Article | Thread
Bateman Horne Center Recap from the "Navigating the Healthcare Industry" support group
Notes from the November 3 support group including some suggestions shared by participants.
Recap (PDF) | Thread
........
Coming events
Grassroots Project Webinar Medical Frailty Exemptions: Why They Matter for People with Disabilities and Older Adults
This webinar is related to proposed changes to Medicaid in the USA, see registration link for more details.
Monday, November 16 at 3 pm ET
Registration | Thread
Aotearoa New Zealand ME Support AGM
Saturday 21st November at 1100 (NZDT) via Zoom. Guest speaker is Dr Anna Brooks, cellular immunologist and flow cytometry specialist at the Liggins Institute, researching Long COVID and ME/CFS.
Registration | Thread
UK Action for ME Webinar Updates on DecodeME and Sequence ME & Long Covid
Tuesday 1 December 2026, 2–3 pm
"The webinar will feature Professor Chris Ponting from the University of Edinburgh and Sonya Chowdhury, Chief Executive of Action for ME, who will share updates on both studies, including progress to date and the next steps for the research. There will also be time for your questions."
Announcement | Registration | Thread
........
Research news and commentary
USA - NIH RECOVER Latest RECOVER-AUTONOMIC clinical trial results
A trial of Gamunex-C, a form of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), did not have significant impact on symptoms of severe postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) following COVID-19.
Article | Thread
........
Research
ME/CFS research
Exploratory shotgun metagenomic analysis of microbiome–symptom relationships in post-infectious Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome — Vizioli et al
"findings suggest that understanding the gut microbiome in PI-ME/CFS may require moving beyond the search for a single disease-associated microbial signature toward investigating how microbial features relate to symptom heterogeneity."
Article | Thread
Personalized cognitive and physical Telerehabilitation in post-COVID-19 condition and ME/CFS: A pilot randomized controlled trial — Azcue et al
"No robust intervention-related improvement in physical outcomes was demonstrated."
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Serum proteomic profiling identifies transforming growth factor β receptor as a marker of persistent symptoms up to 18 months after mild SARS-CoV-2 infection — Ueland et al
"These findings together with proteome analyses may suggest that molecular pathways related to ECM remodeling and immunity could be involved in the pathogenesis of PCC."
Article | Thread
Persistent exertional dyspnea following mild COVID-19: potential association with diaphragm impairment — Regmi et al
"In this exploratory study of non-hospitalized individuals with long COVID and persistent dyspnea, we observed lower [Twitch Transdiaphragmatic Pressure] and lower right hemidiaphragm thickness compared to controls."
Article | Thread
Macronutrient Intake and Clinical Manifestations in Adults with Long COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the BioICOPER Study — Rodríguez-García et al
"In age- and sex-adjusted models, higher absolute intakes of total fat and saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were associated with lower odds of being in a higher frailty category." "These three associations remained significant after Benjamini–Hochberg correction."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky