Millions of EU citizens suffer from this chronic fatigue syndrome, and the European Parliament wants to tackle the disease ME. The parliament also supports their call for increased awareness of the disease and funding for additional research.
People with ME are often misunderstood and sometimes even misdiagnosed. Therefore, more needs to be done to raise awareness among the public and healthcare providers. The parliament's proposals came about following an appeal by a Dutch ME patient, according to a spokesperson from the European Parliament liaison office in The Hague.
On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for greater action against 'myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome,' or ME for short. Research shows that two million Europeans have this disease. 'ME is a chronic neuro-immune disease that affects many people, but unfortunately little is known about its causes and treatment,' said Spanish MEP Dolors Montserrat (EPP).
Promotion
With the adopted proposal, the European Parliament is giving a voice to the patients, it was argued in Brussels. The European Commission is urgently requested to release more EU funds for biomedical research into ME. This includes comparative research with patient data. This way, diagnostic tests can be developed faster so that patients can receive better treatments.
The plea for EU support for ME patients started in the Netherlands. Last year, Dutch ME patient Evelien van den Brink made an appeal to the Parliament's Petitions Committee. She did so from her sickbed. Van den Brink emphasized that currently two million EU citizens suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome and described it as 'a hidden public health crisis.'
At that time, Van den Brink called for more money for research aimed at new tests, clinical trials, and better treatments. This could prevent ME patients from becoming disabled, something that happens to many ME patients over time.
In the adopted resolution, the European Parliament also calls for greater awareness among the public and healthcare providers. Therefore, the European Commission and EU countries should launch campaigns about ME. At the same time, international cooperation must increase. Finally, the European Parliament wants a special ME fund to be established for the prevention and treatment of ME.