[Skip to Navigation]
Sign In
Viewpoint
March 17, 2015

Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An IOM Report on Redefining an Illness

Author Affiliations
  • 1Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
JAMA. 2015;313(11):1101-1102. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.1346

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a multisystem and often long-lasting disorder, with manifestations that can cause substantial morbidity and can severely impair patients’ health and well-being. It is estimated that between 836 000 and 2.5 million individuals are affected in the United States.1,2 Patients with ME/CFS are typically unable to perform their normal activities, and as many as one-fourth are homebound or bedridden, sometimes for extended periods.3 As a result, the personal and social effects and ramifications of this disease are enormous.

Add or change institution
×