During an International AIDS Society Covid-19 press conference held July 9th, Dr. Anthony Fauci (Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force) answered a question posed by Terri L. Wilder, who is the #MEAction New York leader, journalist for TheBodyPro website, and long-time ME and HIV activist.
Terri Wilder used this opportunity to ask Dr. Fauci what the NIH is doing to address Covid-19 “long-haulers” risk of developing ME ( read this article, and this one, on why some Covid-19 patients will go on to develop ME)
Terri asked what NIH is doing to address Covid-19 “long-haulers” risk of developing ME and CFS and pointed out that there has been very little funding invested in research into ME and few medical providers know how to take care of people with ME. There are still no FDA approved drugs to treat ME.
Dr. Fauci said Terri Wilder’s question was very relevant.
Dr. Fauci went on to say, “If you look anecdotally there is no question that there are a considerable number of individuals who have a post-viral syndrome that really in many respects can incapacitate them for weeks and weeks following so-called recovery and clearing of the virus….you can see people who’ve recovered who really do not get back to normal that they have things that are highly suggestive of myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome. Brain fog, fatigue, and difficulty in concentrating so this is something we really need to seriously look at because it very well might be a post-viral syndrome associated with covid-19.”
For Dr. Fauci’s full response, please refer to this YouTube recording of the press conference starting at 33:19.
CNN has already began to cover this response here and here.
Dr. Fauci responded because the issue was raised. As activists, we have to take every opportunity to continue to address ME and push for urgent action so that people with ME can get the resources, care, and treatment they deserve.
#MEAction is working to ensure that the NIH is considering ME when researching Covid-19, campaigning publicly and behind the scenes. We will continue to keep you up to date with our progress and we are very thankful to activists like Terri Wilder who show up time and time again to get ME in the spotlight.
Please read our latest article on why post-Covid research must include ME/CFS to learn more.
7 thoughts on “Dr. Anthony Fauci says that post-covid syndrome “is highly suggestive of” myalgic encephalomyelitis”
anecdotal- “might be a post-viral syndrome associated with covid-19.”
I don’t see anything here other than an cherry picked answer to a planted question. ME is not a Syndrome.
Hi my name is Jamie and I have ME/CFS and FM and when I read the title of this article saying that covid could leave people with ME/CFS. I was wondering what then do you feel covid would do to a person already living with ME/CFS? Would it make us so much worse or ?
Thank you for your time.
I have cfs and fibromyalgia (since the early 1990s) and I am having a terrible time getting over covid. My autoimmune diseases are all flared up right now & I’m having trouble shaking covid coughing, cold sweats, swollen glands & fatigue. It’s hard to know what’s covid and what’s my own autoimmune response to being in the ER twice with covid.
So does this mean that the NIH will finally take ME seriously, or that they’re also going to ignore post-Covid-19 syndrome?
I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I have tried for years to tell medical professionals, including a long letter to the State of Minnesota when I was declared disabled because of it. For one thing, they have to separate CFS and Fibromyalgia in their very few studies. They are not the same!!! I have been doing everything I can not to get COVID – 19. But, my Husband still works, so we face that threat every time He goes to work. I talked to Pfizer and found out patients with CFS were NOT included in their vaccine studies. So, now I am also afraid of what problems a vaccine could cause. I have worked very hard to deal with and accept the symptoms of this illness. I certainly don’t want it made worse. I don’t want to sleep my entire life away. I can’t find anywhere that I can get advice about the vaccines. Would one be better than another for CFS: Pfizer, Moderna or wait for Johnson and Johnson type vaccine? Does anybody know where I can get advice? Tried my regular physician, and they don’t know enough. Does anybody? How could I ever get in touch with Dr. Fauci? I’m scared if I don’t get the vaccine, I’m scared if I do.
Hi Barbara,
I have personally not heard any information about the difference between vaccines but here are recommendations from ME expert clinicians about getting a Covid-19 vaccine. Their bottom line is to get a vaccine, but to take precautions: https://www.meaction.net/2021/01/15/me-experts-recommendations-for-getting-the-covid-19-vaccine/
Was it reported in the early to mid 90s when CFS was disparagingly called the yuppie flu that the NIH allocated money to research the illness? Further was Dr. Fauci responsible for directing those funds for such work, yet based on his own personal unverifiable opinion, redirected some of those funds to projects which he preferred were studied? And by so doing is he at least partly responsible for the lack of information about the causes, diagnosis, or treatment of CFS/ME? Is he culpable in allowing the decades of suffering by those afflicted? Did he claim it was not a real medical disease as we understand in modern medicine? Did his efforts to thwart research then leave us with no answers today regarding prolonged post Covid-19 illness, possible similarity to CFS/ME, and a means of treatment? If the answers to these questions are yes, should he be in a position to guide present research in this area of concern? Should he still be employed by the US in any capacity?
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