Tag Archives: ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis)

The silent scandal of ME…and in praise of Tessa Munt

Embed from Getty Images

I wrote on the subject of ME back in February 2025. Sadly no progress seems to have been made, questions to the government receive “dead bat” pro-forma answers and still the silent scandal of 1.35 million people in the UK suffering from ME/CFS (or Long Covid with ME-like symptoms) continues. That’s about 2,000 on average per UK parliamentary constituency.

Some figures: The average lifetime costs per patient with ME are £4.7 million on average.

There are £20 billion per year costs to the economy due to ME – and this is rising. (This includes loss of productivity and the fact that many patients are cared for by their parents)

There is currently no UK ring-fenced funding for long term research into the illness. This compares badly with Germany who have dedicated 500 million Euros over 10 years for research labelled a “National Decade Against Post-Infectious Diseases” (photo above shows the sort of public protests which preceded the commitment of that money).

Recently there have been a few reasons for hope.

Posted in Op-eds | Leave a comment
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Jenny Barnes
    It suits those who benefit from immigrants providing cheap labour in areas like hospitality or the NHS to foreground small boats and asylum seekers, rather than...
  • Jenny Barnes
    NI is income tax by another name, so putting it together with income tax makes sense. NI is not put in a fund to pay future pensions. Today's pensions are paid ...
  • Jana
    @Ruth Bright “… just to be clear, I think we should SUPPORT the siting of the centre at MOD Bicester” I assume from this that you do not live near MOD...
  • Jana
    “ Personally, I’d go even bolder and promise to roll employee national insurance into income tax, scrapping the system where landlords and wealthier pension...
  • Rose Runswick
    I agree with Jana! There is much more to gain from giving Confidence and Supply to a Government in return for a key policy or two and giving us freedom to vote ...