The draft updated NICE guidance for ME/CFS highlights the unreliability of subjective outcome measures in non-blinded trials

Abstract

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently published its draft updated guideline on the diagnosis and management of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). NICE concluded that ME/CFS is a complex multisystem chronic medical condition for which graded exercise therapy should not be used and cognitive behavioural therapy is only a supportive therapy and not a treatment or cure. The draft guidance also highlighted the unreliability of subjective outcome measures in non-blinded trials. High quality randomised controlled ME/CFS trials are now needed to find pharmacological treatments that lead to substantial objective improvement and restore the ability to work.

Keywords

CFS cognitive behaviour therapy graded exercise therapy ME/CFS women’s health

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