Press Release from the World Health Organisation

"For at least a decade, questions about possible scientific misconduct and flawed methodology by Dr (now Professor) Wessely and his group of co-psychiatrists have been raised and published in international medical journals but it is only relatively recently that his long-time involvement as medical adviser to commercial
bodies having a vested interest in his publications on ME has been exposed."

"There is no question that many millions of pounds sterling are at stake and that the vested interest groups for whom these psychiatrists act as medical advisers would like to prevent insurance cover for ME patients (those with a psychiatric label are denied medical insurance cover); prevent disability payments to
them; prevent successful liability lawsuits and maintain the supremacy of their industries."



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25 January 2004
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Please repost this important message as wide as possible:
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Dear Readers,


Below you will find an important Press Release from the "World Health Organisation" (WHO) about the Classification of the neurological disorder ME (myalgic encephalomyelities),
sometimes called "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" (CFS).

For a better understanding of this press release it is advisable to read the Hansard Report of the House of Lords ME Debate at Thursday, 22 January 2004. The Countess of Mar has done a wonderful job there: in a briefing for the House of Commons Select Health Committee, she has denounced the practises of the psychiatrist Prof. Simon Wessely - and his "Wessely-School" with patients suffering from the neurological disorder ME.

This mighty group - with financial ties with - between others -the insurance-, chemical- and pharmaceutical industry - has tried for many, many years to hide the truth about the seriousness of this severe disabling disorder.

"...Patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis, particularly children, have suffered gross and barbaric abuse and persistent denigration as a consequence of the beliefs of
these psychiatrists who are attempting to control the national agenda for this complex and severe neuro-immunological disorder..."

Prof Simon Wessely has even personally changed the "Classification of Diseases" (ICD) of the WHO in the UK version of this document. He has now been whistled back
by the WHO - see below.


The Hansard report of the House of Lords Debat on ME can be found at:
 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199900/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds04/text/40122-12.htm#40122-12_unstar0

A complete transcript will be available on MEinformUK:
 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MEinformUK/


The briefing of the debat by The Countess of Mar is based on a document, prepared by Prof. Malcolm Hooper et al. - Emeritus Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, in collaboration with members of the ME community, Department of Life Sciences, University of Sunderland, SR2 7EE, UK.

Prof. Hooper describes the horrors - done to seriously ill sufferers from myalgic encephalomyelits.

This unique, historical paper is about the terror and the misuse of "psychiatry", which is worse and takes place on a bigger scale then what happened in Soviet Union (USSR) under communist reign:

".....A CONSIDERATION OF THE ROLE OF PROFESSOR SIMON WESSELY AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
"WESSELY SCHOOL" IN THE PERCEPTION OF MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS (ME) IN THE UK......."


These psyciatrists have blood on their hands:

".....Suicide rates are very high, not necessarily because
patients are psychiatrically disturbed, but because the
unavoidable isolation and the physical suffering are
simply unbearable without adequate support. The losses
are many, including loss of career, loss of marriage, loss
of ability to be self-supporting and loss of independence....."

“.....American and Australian research has shown that the
quality of life in this disorder is lower than for any other
chronic illness group apart from terminal cancer and that
the quality of life is uniquely disrupted on all levels.......”


This unique, historical paper by Prof Hooper et al can be found at:

 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MEinformUK/
 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MEinformUK/message/104
 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MEinformUK/message/105
 http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MEinformUK/message/106

In the UK there are preparations for legal actions against the psychiatrist Simon Wessely


Jan van Roijen



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PRESS RELEASE


Classification Principles provided by the World Health Organisation re ME/CFS




On 28th June 2001 Andre L’Hours, the Technical Officer at the WHO headquarters in Geneva who is responsible for the ICD, confirmed that it was “unacceptable” if the same disorder had been included in two places in the ICD-10 and that the same disorder could not be differently categorised under the one WHO banner. When he was informed of what was happening in the UK, he promised to look into the matter.

Andre l’Hours confirmed that the ICD classifications are approved by the World Health Assembly and therefore take legal precedence over unapproved modifications made by a WHO
Collaborating Centre.


On 16th October 2001, Dr B Saraceno from the WHO provided the following clarification in writing:

“I wish to clarify the situation regarding the classification of
neurasthenia, fatigue syndrome, post-viral fatigue syndrome and
benign myalgic encephalomyelitis. Let me state clearly that the
World Health Organisation (WHO) has not changed its position
on these disorders since the publication of the International
Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition in 1992 and versions of
it during later years.

“Post-viral fatigue syndrome remains under the diseases of
nervous system as G93.3. Benign myalgic encephalomyelitis is
included within this category.

“Neurasthenia remains under mental and behavioural disorders
as F48.0 and fatigue syndrome (note: not THE CHRONIC
FATIGUE SYNDROME) is included within this category.
However, post-viral fatigue syndrome is explicitly excluded from
F48.0.

“The WHO ICD-10 Diagnostic and Management Guidelines for
Mental Disorders in Primary Care, 1996, includes fatigue
syndrome under neurasthenia (F48.0) but does not state or
imply that conditions belonging to G93.3 should be included
here.

“I would also like to state that the WHO’s position concerning this
is reflected in its publications and electronic material, including
websites.

“It is possible that one of the several WHO Collaborating
Centres in the United Kingdom presented a view that is at
variance with WHO’s position.

“Collaborating Centres are not obliged to seek approval from
WHO for the material they publish. I understand that the
Collaborating Centre concerned has now made changes to the
information on their website after speaking with WHO”.


In the debate on ME/CFS in the House of Lords on 22nd January 2004, the Health Minister (Lord Warner) stated:

“The current version, ICD-10, classifies CFS in two places: as
neurasthenia in the mental health chapter, F48.0; and also as
myalgic encephalomyelitis in the neurology chapter, G93.3. The
diagnostic criteria used in the ICD shows that the WHO has
essentially put the same condition in both places. That is the
WHO’s formal position”.

Following his speech (recorded in Hansard at column 1195), a copy of this letter was given to the Health Minister by the Countess of Mar; Lord Warner said that he would take it to the Chief Medical Officer to be discussed.


On 23rd January 2004, Andre l’Hours from the WHO headquarters provided the following clarification (in writing):

“This is to confirm that according to the taxonomic principles
governing the Tenth Revision of the World Health Organization’s
International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related
Health Problems (ICD-10), it is not permitted for the same
condition to be classified to more than one rubric as this would
mean that the individual categories and subcategories were no
longer mutually exclusive”.

Andre l’Hours also stated that if a country accepts the WHO Regulations concerning nomenclature (which the UK does), then that country is obliged to accept the ICD classification. For the avoidance of doubt, the UK has registered no reservations
about the ICD-10 and therefore formally accepts it.



Margaret Williams.



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