Journal of IiME Volume 2 Issue 1 www.investinme.org PROFILES of PRESENTERS at the IiME INTERNATIONAL ME/CFS CONFERENCE D Drr.. LLeeoonnaarrdd JJaassoonn Prof. of Clin. & Community Psychology, Director, Center for Community Research, DePaul University, Chicago Dr. Leonard Jason, Ph.D., is among the most prolific of all ME/CFS researchers. For more than a decade, Dr. Jason and his team at DePaul University’s Centre for Community Research have worked to define the scope and impact of ME/CFS worldwide. Dr Jason is Vice President of the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (now the IACFS/ME) and has been a key driver of CFS research since 1991, and is uniquely positioned to support collaboration between CFS researchers, patients, and government decision makers. His studies have shown that the direct and indirect costs of ME/CFS amount to $20 billion in the U.S. each year, and more than 1 million people suffer from ME/CFS as opposed to the estimated 20,000 people originally reported by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). C Coonnffeerreennccee PPrreesseennttaatt iioonn C Caassee DDeeff iinnii tt iioonnss ooffM MEE//CCFFSS –– IInncclluuddiinngg PPaaeeddiiaattrriicc CCaassee DDeeff iinnii tt iioonn It is important to determine which case definition to use in defining the ME/CFS syndrome. The benefit of classifying patients into diagnostic categories is that it facilitates communication among clinicians and researchers, selection of treatment methods, and prediction of response to treatment. Currently, scientists throughout the world use the Fukuda et al. (1994) CFS case definition. Efforts to develop a case definition can be traced back even earlier. In 1955, there was an outbreak of a CFS-like illness at the Royal Free Hospital, and Ramsay, the medical consultant in charge, published a definition of this disease using the term Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). Recently, the Canadians have developed a clinical case definition, the IACFS/ME has developed a pediatric case definition of ME/CFS, and the CDC has developed an empirical case definition. This talk will summarize some of the issues and controversies involving these case definitions. Additional links for Dr Jason: • Jason L, et al., "The Economic impact of ME/CFS: individual and societal level cost," Dynamic Medicine, 2008 7:6 (8 April 2008) [PDF Format] • Jason L, "Exploratory subgrouping in CFS: Infectious, inflammatory, and other": http://www.investinme.org/Documents/Journals/Journal%20of%20IiME%20Vol%201%20Issue%201.pdf Invest in ME (Charity Nr 1114035) Page 11
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