Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Health written question – answered at on 4 March 2013.

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Photo of Graham Brady Graham Brady Chair, Conservative Party 1922 Committee

To ask the Secretary of State for Health

(1) on what (a) advice and (b) evidential basis his Department defines myalgic encephalomyelitis as a psychological condition;

(2) what assessment his Department has made of the findings of the PACE trial relating to the effectiveness of (a) cognitive behavioural therapy and (b) graded exercise therapy for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Photo of Norman Lamb Norman Lamb The Minister of State, Department of Health

The Department considers the condition chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis to be a neurological condition of unknown origin.

We have not carried out any specific assessment of the findings of the PACE trial.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) supports clinical decision-making in the national health service by developing guidance and recommendations on the effectiveness of treatments. NICE routinely reviews the need to update its guidance in order to take account of the latest available evidence. As an independent body, NICE is responsible for assessing which evidence should be considered as part of this process.

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