 |
Email the Society |
 |
Donations |
ME/CFS AUSTRALIA (SA) INC
Registered Charity 698
Mailing address:
GPO Box 383,
Adelaide,
South Australia 5001
Office:
266 Port Road,
Hindmarsh,
South Australia 5007
Ph: (08) 8346 3237
('834 MECFS')
Office Hours:
Wednesdays, 10am-3pm
Support Line:
(Mondays and Thursdays,
10am-3pm)
Ph: (08) 8346 3237
SA country callers:
Ph: 1300 128 339
(local call)
FIBROMYALGIA HELP: Contact Fibromyalgia SA at the Arthritis Foundation of SA 118 Richmond Road, Marleston 5033 Ph: (08) 8379 5711 |
ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc supports the needs of sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and related illnesses. We do this by providing services and information to members.
|
Disclaimer
ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc aims to keep members informed of the various research projects, diets, medications, therapies etc. All communication, both verbal and written, is merely to disseminate information and not to make recommendations or directives.
Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on this Web site are not necessarily the official views of the Society or its Committee and are not simply an endorsement of products or services.
 |
This letter is also available as a PDF file (response_apr_9.pdf – 163KB)
About ME/CFS
General information
Medical
ME/CFS Guidelines
Related conditions
The Society
Members’ pages
Response from The Medical Journal of Australia
Editor
The Medical Journal of Australia
April 9, 2002
Mr S R Molesworth AM
National Chairman
ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Association of Australia
19 Linacre Road
HAMPTON VIC 3188
Dear Mr Molesworth,
Re: RACP Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Practice Guidelines
Many thanks for your letter dated March 7, 2002 and its evidential supplement dated March 8, 2002. Your letter outlines the reservations of your Association about the guidelines and a request not to publish the same.
Allow me to comment on divergent opinions in guidelines developments. Committees convened to develop guidelines or position statements do not always achieve complete consensus as poignantly illustrated in an article the Journal recently published (MJA 2002; 176: 332 - 334). Committees have to make judgements on the strength of published evidence and this process is but human but it is the only vehicle we have at this time. Of course your Association may register its concern with the guidelines to the Committee but to take on the role of a censor and ask a Journal to desist from publication is unprecedented in scientific and clinical publishing in Australia.
I have forwarded your concerns to the President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Chairman of the Committee.
It is the intention of the MJA to publish the Clinical Guidelines both in the MJA and the eMJA (www.mja.com.au). The Journal will also publish after the guidelines publication evidence-based Letters to the Editor on the Web or in the print version, but these will undergo the usual Editorial processes. This I believe is the most appropriate way forward.
You and your association/s will have the opportunity to argue not anecdotally but with peer reviewed evidence your Association’s divergence from the content of the guidelines.
Your interest in this matter is appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Martin Van Der Weyden MD FRACP FRCPA
Editor
The Medical Journal of Australia
Previous Page |
