Review Reframing Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue ... 2025, Friedman

Abstract:
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a worldwide challenge. There are an estimated 17-24 million patients worldwide with an estimated 60 percent or more who have not been diagnosed. Without a known cure, no specific curative medication, disability lasting years to being life-long, and disagreement among healthcare providers as to how to most appropriately treat these patients, ME/CFS patients are in need of assistance.

Appropriate healthcare provider education would increase the percentage of patients diagnosed and treated, however, in-school, healthcare provider education is limited. To address the latter issue, the New Jersey Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Association (NJME/CFSA) has developed an independent, incentive-driven, learning program for students of the health professions. NJME/CFSA offers a yearly scholarship program in which applicants write a scholarly paper on a ME/CFS-related topic.

The efficacy of the program is demonstrated by the 2024-2025 first place scholarship winner’s essay which addresses the biological basis of ME/CFS and how the healthcare provider can improve the quality of life of ME/CFS patients. For the reader, the essay provides an update on what is known regarding the biological underpinnings of ME/CFS, as well as a medical student’s perspective as to how the clinician can provide care and support for ME/CFS patients. The original essay has been slightly modified to demonstrate that ME/CFS is a worldwide problem and for publication in the journal Challenges.

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Agarwal, P.; Friedman, K. J. Reframing Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Biological Basis of Disease and Recommendations for Supporting Patients. Preprints 2025, 2025042355. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202504.2355.v1
 
This is a rather peculiar statement. I wonder who it is aimed at !

The United States has produced the highest number of ME/CFS research publications, approximately 8,000, with the United Kingdom having produced under 6,000 articles. The United States has produced 37 of the most frequently cited top 100 articles, whereas the United Kingdom has produced 32. For this reason, this paper focuses mainly on data derived from U.S. studies.
 
I have skimmed the article. It's a student essay that won a competition. There are some oddities like the reason given for only looking at US research, and overstating the research evidence, but they seem to have a reasonable grasp of the need for pacing, accessible medical care and support.
 
The full title is Reframing Myalgic Encephalopmyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Biological Basis of Disease and Recommendations for Supporting Patients

The abstract makes no sense with the title - it's actually an explanation for how the essay came to be published. What this is the publishing of a student essay on ME/CFS, with the essay apparently tweaked a bit to make it international in scope rather than focused on the US situation. In what other disease affecting a lot of people would it be appropriate to publish a student essay? e.g. 'a medical student has read up a bit about multiple sclerosis, only looking at US literature, and here is their update on the disease'.

Having an essay competition for medical students is fine, but people with ME/CFS deserve better than to have the results published as an update on the disease.
 
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Jonathan Edwards said:
This is a rather peculiar statement. I wonder who it is aimed at !

The United States has produced the highest number of ME/CFS research publications, approximately 8,000, with the United Kingdom having produced under 6,000 articles. The United States has produced 37 of the most frequently cited top 100 articles, whereas the United Kingdom has produced 32. For this reason, this paper focuses mainly on data derived from U.S. studies.
Click to expand...
Connoisseurs of bizarre ME-paper non-logic?
 
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