Paul Garner on Long Covid and ME/CFS - BMJ articles and other media.

I'm pleased to see this article has been picked up here. I stumbled across it yesterday evening and immediately emailed a complaint to the Guardian. I've never complained about an article before in my life, however seeing (harmful) opinion reported as fact was too much for me.

I don't have a lot of faith it will make a difference, but who knows...

Can't hurt if others are able to do the same.

 

Hearing you

 

In this case it's an excerpt from a book, so the interview took place a long while ago. It makes sense to me that someone writing a book from O'Sullivan's perspective would seek out Garner as an interviewee. He doesn't need a publicist. If you want to include someone who is saying what he's saying, he's well-known for his position and easy to reach.

 

Garner was ill with Covid in April and recovered by the end of 2020.

Except he was taking military fitness classes and running distances by July, and travelled to the Caribbean for a scuba diving holiday in October where he caught dengue fever. If the article is tweeted there should be a “community note”

nobody who knows someone with Long Covid or ME will buy what he’s selling when they hear that.

 

Thank you

 

5 letters have been published in reply to this article. None seem to refer to post viral illnesses.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/07/mind-over-body-the-trouble-with-treating-chronic-conditions

 

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/this-explanation-long-covid-helped-31193899

New Paul Garner just dropped.

 

Paul wrote about his experience for the British Medical Journal (BMJ). His last blog describing his recovery was met with many critical comments - saying his views were anecdotal, ‘pseudoscience’ not backed by scientific evidence, dangerous, irresponsible and ‘inexcusably unprofessional’. Others pointed out that he may simply have recovered from post viral fatigue - as many people do - around the same time he was given this explanation.

His post was also condemned and called distressing and insulting to the many people suffering with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome). Paul has even received death threats over his views.

———

Does anyone have any info on these death threats?

 

https://www.livpost.co.uk/professor-paul-garner-was-delighted/

 

I have not read this but if the death threats were not an SMC strategy, I would not be surprised if Professor Paul Garner was genuinely delighted.

[added - I am in no way condoning death threats, which should be thoroughly investigated by the Police, however given for two decades advocates of psycho behavioural interventions for ME/CFS have exaggerated or in in at least one case invented supposed threats rather that respond to honest critique of their work.]

 

Interesting about his sister

 

Where is his sister mentioned?

 

He has mentioned in his earlier blogs that she’s had ME for a number of years.

He wrote about being sent a picture of a gun by a disgruntled person. I’ve had worse threatening emails doing internet dating tbh.

Again, omitting the frequent exercising he was seen doing in Liverpool, when the first lockdown lifted just 4 months after his Covid infection.

Interesting that’s its “Reach” which is a syndicate so there’s a high chance of the story appearing in a variety of local outlets. Possibly the Liverpool Echo (which is now based in Manchester).

 

Ah, I hadn't seen that.

The gun looks like it's an Airsoft gun or something similar.

 

Every time I see this post alert my heart sinks a bit, wondering what he's said this time..

 

Glad CS got a good chance to explain and was able to point out that he had provided advice to PG early on, which had been useful. Hope PG is seething at that being included, doesn't normally get that much of a look in to reports of his amazing journey of self healing.

Now, Paul, let's head off into a quiet retirement of obscurity where you belong, please, you've had more than your 15 mins in the limelight. Ta-da.