Inside Health – Is the tide turning on ME research?

Available for over a year

ME – also known as chronic fatigue syndrome – has long been one of medicine’s most puzzling conditions. With no definitive diagnostic test and a legacy of skepticism in parts of the medical community, patients often find it difficult to be believed. But a wave of new research could ultimately change the landscape. The emergence of Long COVID – a disease with striking similarities to ME – has accelerated scientific interest and opened new avenues of research into the underlying biology of both diseases. In this episode, James Gallagher talks to Dr Chris Ponting about the latest results from DecodeME, which indicate a strong genetic component to ME. And Professor Rosemary Boyton describes the ambition behind the new Rosetta Stone study, designed to build a detailed evidence base of shared biomarkers in ME and Long COVID. James also hears from Catherine and Jo, who have lived with ME for many years. They describe their diagnosis journey and how they manage their symptoms in their daily lives. Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell Researcher: Tom Hunt Editors: Erika Wright and Ilan Goodman

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