Just for background it looks like the ME expert group was an MRC project because it’s referred to as such here
https://www.meassociation.org.uk/20...research-workshop-held-on-1920-november-2009/
As you can see they were having a conference type thing even then. And Stephen Holgate was the chair of this at MRC appointement I’m guessing . I think that the MRC disbanded the group when they gave the 2011 funds , i don’t know why, and then Stephen Holgate either independently proposed a sort of contuation under a different name thing , or the MRC continued it. But whatever, it looks like the MRC stepped back but were still involved. As the ME expert group was an MRC initiative and the CMRC a pretty direct follow up it makes more sense why it was all so establishment, Esther Crawley was a big figure of various key CFS groups pre 2010 including BACME I think and another establishment CFS one and was given a top post, Peter white was part of the expert group, and was then part of the CMRC.
Holgate I’m sure over this time had as much a bps Approach as someone like arthritis UK seem to and the MRC did, if he’s slowly been made to evolve well that’s jolly good but it doesn’t make him an asset afaic. Of note is that Holgate was talking about big data studies right back then too. So the idea CMRC represented something particularly new I just don’t accept, it might have had a slightly different format based supposedly on his asthma initiative but to have expected equal interest and field growth seems naive beyond belief. .
https://phoenixrising.me/archives/16786
Looking back at The CMRC start there was lots of controversy about the broad tent which was spoken of “as how it has to be”. What I don’t understand is if it was independent of the mrc why Did it have to be when the focus should have been biomedical research and if it was all directed by the MRC, why keep their distance.
Just found more in 2008 minutes
https://mrc.ukri.org/documents/pdf/cfsme-expert-group-minutes-1st-meeting/
Well aware of MRCs long CFS History
“Professor Holgate gave the Group an overview of the strategy developed by the previous 2003 MRC CFS/ME Research Advisory Group and outcomes of the 2006 Action for ME/MRC Research Summit. Whilst research had progressed from that time, there still remained problems that made research in this area difficult. These included the lack of well-defined phenotypes and the heterogeneity of the condition.”
The idea they’ve had five years is convenient spin
Also:
5. What are the research opportunities and the way forward?
5.1 The importance of collaboration was highlighted as a key issue in helping research move forward in the field of CFS/ME. It was noted that CFS/ME research was currently quite fragmented and by setting up a collaborative approach would help in the following areas:
• prevention of duplication of effort
• lead to joined up resources and funding
• would bring in existing national resources such as the clinical networks
• would help in looking at the bigger agenda.
5.2 Members discussed the possible ways for increasing research in CFS/ME. Members agreed that a workshop that built on the previous research summit was one way forward. However, in order to engage the interest of researchers from related fields, the workshop should also address the related areas outside of the direct CFS/ME area, such as fatigue, pain, malaise and cognitive impairment, which are relevant to aspects of the condition. This would have several benefits to CFS/ME research. Firstly, leading scientific experts who may have previously considered research in CFS/ME outside of their field may become engaged and bring different perspectives and research ideas that would be of benefit to CFS/ME. Secondly, this could also stimulate an increase in young people beginning to work in the field of CFS/ME. Furthermore, CFS/ME researchers might gain in terms of access to new resources and technologies. Thirdly, a workshop would allow dialogue between researchers and patient groups to reassure them that CFS/ME remained a research priority and that high-quality research was feasible.