7th Anniversary of My Trip to Belfast on Behalf of Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

"The PACE trial of CBT and graded exercise was 'bad science that was being badly misrepresented by the investigators,' causing 'clear harm to patients'.”

On short notice, patient organizations crowdfunded a change in my travel plans. Instead of directly returning to Philadelphia from Amsterdam, I flew over to Belfast via Edinburgh.

On Sunday, February 7, 2016, I told a packed audience of patients and their families and supporters at Belfast Castle that the huge PACE trial of cognitive behavioral therapy and graded exercise was “bad science that was being badly misrepresented by the investigators“, causing “clear harm to patients.“ The next Tuesday, I addressed a group of professionals, including clinicians, scientists, and key health decision-makers, and members of the Northern Irish Legislative Assembly, at Stormont Buildings, home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. I am quoted as saying that the PACE study was a “train wreck of a study.”

I remain grateful for the tremendous effort by the Northern Ireland patient organization Hope 4 ME & Fibro Ireland to create and preserve a record of my trip and presentations, including summaries for …