CIHR Rejects Support for Hundreds of Thousands of Severely Ill Canadians

TORONTO - Aug. 30, 2016 - PRLog -- The Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) has issued a mind numbing decision by rejecting the application they received for their 201605CFS grant (links below). This grant was a golden opportunity for CIHR to show their commitment to funding research to support Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).  Instead, they have refused to support meaningful research that would have helped this patient population. To date their funding has been grossly inadequate and dismissive of the hundreds of thousands of Canadians impacted by this devastating disease.

Upon reading the CHIR's "Notice of Decision", one can only conclude that the committee's approach to ME research is based on the Flat Earth method of science. Why would they support any proposal to look for solutions when they already believe the solution to be known, despite the fact science points in another direction?

CIHR clearly are convinced it is a psychological illness and would not support any research that will prove them wrong. This is despite the fact:

·        ME has been classified under code G93.3 by the World Health Organization as a neurological disease since 1969.

·        Health Canada commissioned a report in 2003 which is commonly referred to as the Canadian Consensus Criteria that clearly defines the illness.

·       There has been numerous research in recent years that points to ME being a biological disease.

Instead they choose to reference very old science that was done using definitions now regarded as inaccurate and damaging to patients. They relied on research based on the PACE trials which are being severely criticized and disputed.

Based on the criteria for the grant, the application submitted appears to have a firm footing and meets all of the submission criteria. Nowhere in the grant criteria did it state that only proposals that will reinforce graded exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy or a psychological diagnosis be considered.  It did not exclude the option of looking for biomarkers.

Not only does it meet the criteria, the proposal was submitted by a team of Canada's leading experts in the field. Many are world renowned. CIHR should be listening to these people and funding the research that they recommend. It's time for CIHR to right the wrongs of the past and make Canada a world leader in the research of ME.  It's time to stop the thinking that the world is flat and there's nothing to be gained by exploring new frontiers.  Restricting funding based on outdated preconceived ideas is causing undue harm and hardship to the over 400,000 Canadians and their families impacted by ME. How can CIHR possibly know that conducting research that focuses on biomarkers is likely to provide limited additional value?

Action CIND calls on the CIHR to take a serious look at this decision and the handling of ME and other Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND) such as Fibromyalgia and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. It's time CIHR establish an institute dedicated to CIND illnesses and invest the time and money to help the over 1.4 million Canadians afflicted.

Action CIND is a Canadian non-profit with a mission to advance the recognition, empathy, treatment and support services for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND) by raising awareness, advancing research, developing education, establishing treatment centres, providing information and support services and collaborating with other organizations in Canada and internationally. We focus on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity/Environmental Sensitivities.

We would be more than willing to work with CIHR to implement the changes necessary to advance research of ME and CIND illnesses in Canada.

Here are the links for the grant and the full CIHR decision:

Grant:  https://www.researchnet-recherchenet.ca/rnr16/vwOpprtntyDtls.do?prog=2402&view=search&terms=chronic+fatigue&incArc=true&type=EXACT&resultCount=99

Decision: http://mefmmembership.com/Catalyst-Grant-C2SAME_previewAps.pdf