This past Tuesday, March 12, Danish Health MPs unanimously agreed on a declaration that will recognise myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) as a distinct disease, remove it from the “functional somatic syndromes” category, and promote the World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic codes for ME.
Parliament will vote on the declaration this Thursday, March 14th. The vote is said to be a formality, as the agreement has been made.
This is a major victory and incredibly exciting time for people with ME in Denmark where the disease guidelines and Danish Health Authority have treated ME as a psychosomatic disease. Patients are currently sent to centers for “functional somatic disorders,” and prescribed graded exercise therapy based on “evidence” from the deeply flawed PACE trial, and the Cochrane review. Various other illnesses have been categorized as “functional somatic disorders,” including fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, whiplash, PMS, tinnitus and tension headache.
The ME community eagerly anticipates Thursday’s vote, and celebrates with the people of Denmark!
Thank the MPs:
Before Thursday’s vote, please take a minute to email to tweet the following politicians to thank them for moving the vote forward for ME. Everyone is encouraged to participate, even if you are not from Denmark.
Minister of Health, Ellen Trane Nørby: Ellen@ElleniFolketinget.dk | @EllenTraneNorby
Health Politicians:
- Liselott Blixt (DF): liselott.blixt@ft.dk | @Blixt22
- Flemming Møller Mortensen (S): flemming.m.mortensen@ft.dk | @FlemmingMM
- Jane Heitmann (V): jane.heitmann@ft.dk | @JaneHeitmann
- Mette Abildgaard (KF): mette.abildgaard@ft.dk | @metteabildgaard
- Kirsten Normann Andersen (SF): kirsten.normann.andersen@ft.dk | @KirstenNormann
- May-Britt Kattrup (LA): may-britt.kattrup@ft.dk | @MayBrittKattrup
- Lotte Rod (RV): lotte.rod@ft.dk | @LotteRod
- Pernille Schnoor (ALT): pernille.schnoor@ft.dk | @P_Schnoor
- Peder Hvelplund (EL): peder.hvelplund@ft.dk | @pederhvelplund
The MPs will vote on this declaration:
Folketinget noterer sig:
– At indsatsen for patienter med ME-træthedssyndrom/CFS (G93.3) er mangelfuld. Patienter oplever stigmatisering og får ikke relevant tilbud om udredning og behandling.
– At den eksisterende behandling til ME-patienter langtfra er tilstrækkelig, og at der tages initiativ til oprettelse af specialiseret behandling af ME. Det bør ske i et tværfagligt set-up med alle relevante specialer og bør organisatorisk forankres i somatikken.
– At sundhedsstyrelsen opdaterer alle relevante specialevejledninger på tværs af hele ME-sygdomsforløbet for at sikre at ME/CFS(G93.3) er beskrevet i alle relevante vejledninger.
– At Sundhedsstyrelsen anerkender og anbefaler brugen af WHO’s diagnoseklassifikationssystem ICD10 og ICD11, hvori diagnosen ME (G93.3 ICD10 og 8E49 i ICD11) indgår.
– At Sundhedsstyrelsen og Sundhedsdatastyrelsen med den nye kodepraksis adskiller ME/CFS fra samlebetegnelsen ”funktionelle lidelser.
– At der indhentes viden fra andre lande om igangsatte behandlinger af ME/CFS.
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