Links to Useful documents for the petition drive to have the U.S.
adopt the Canadian Consensus Document for ME/CFS

A team of researchers at DePaul University found the Canadian Consensus Document to be superior to the CDC’s research criteria in identifying patients with serious physical symptoms and functional impairments. [Jason et al, Journal of CFS 2004]. A committee of the IACFS/ME (dedicated to research into CFS and M.E.) has already adopted a version of the Consensus Document for pediatric diagnosis and care [Journal of CFS, 2006].

You can compare them for yourself using the links on this website. We've also included a link to the formal definition of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) from 1986.

Links to the disease definitions:

• Dr. Melvin Ramsay's definition for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) from his 1986 textbook:
  http://www.cfids-me.org/ramsay86.html.
• The diagnostic criteria for M.E./CFS from the Canadian Consensus Document:
  http://www.cfids-me.org/consensusdefine.html.
• The U.S. CDC (Fukuda 1994) Research Definition of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
  http://www.cfids-me.org/cdcdefine.html.

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Overview of the Canadian Consensus Document for diagnosing M.E./CFS

• An Overview of the Canadian Consensus Document for M.E./CFS, written by Dr. Bruce Carruthers and Marjorie van de Sande of the ME/FMS Society of Canada, can be downloaded from here:
  http://www.mefmaction.net/Patients/Overviews/tabid/122/Default.aspx.
• The diagnostic criteria for M.E./CFS from the Canadian Consensus Document:
  http://www.cfids-me.org/consensusdefine.html.
• A list of tests for diagnosing and treating patients with M.E./CFS from the Canadian Consensus Document can be found here:
  http://www.cfids-me.org/consensustests.html.
• The bibliography from the Overview of the Canadian Consensus Document can be found here:
  http://www.cfids-me.org/cfscc/canbib06.html.
• The longer bibliography from the Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome article with the complete Canadian Consensus Document (2003) is available here:
  http://www.cfids-me.org/canbiblong.html".

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Information for clinicians from the CDC's CFS "Toolkit for Professionals"

• The CDC's "CFS Toolkit: Fact Sheets for Healthcare Professionals"
• "Diagnostic criteria for CFS"
• Managing Symptoms
• Managing Supportive Care
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy
• Tests the CDC claims should not be given for CFS

There is no bibliography in the "Toolkit for Professionals."

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Print them out and compare them. Use them to show the difference in the way the disease and patients are perceived when the Canadian Consensus Document is used by clinicians, as opposed to the CDC's "Toolkit."

Return to the websites for the campaign for the U.S. to adopt the Canadian Consensus Document for M.E./CFS:
http://www.cfids-me.org/index.html#consensus.

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