|
Coalition 4 ME/CFS & RMCFA Announce Historical ICD Proposal Acceptance
and Presentation
 The Coalition 4 ME/CFS on July 15, 2011, submitted a proposal to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (CDC) for reclassification of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as a neurological disease in the United States International Classification of Diseases-10-CM (ICD-10-CM) and (ICD-9-CM). The proposal was accepted for review and was presented at the meeting of the Coordination and Maintenance Committee, in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 14, 2011. RMCFA is a charter member of the Coalition 4 ME/CFS.
The Coaliton 4 ME/CFS will also present at the IACFS/ME conference on Friday, September 23, 2011.
 The proposal request is supported by recommendations from the CFS Advisory Committee (CFSAC), and in recognition of the current scientific understanding of CFS and its classification in the ICD-10 by the World Health Organization (WHO). "The goal of this proposal is to ensure alignment with ICD-10 under WHO and the clinical modifications embraced by other countries, and to ensure alignment with the best current case definition for CFS, which includes both viral and bacterial triggers," stated Mike Munoz, a member of the Coalition 4 ME/CFS steering committee and Executive Director at RMCFA.
 |
| Lori Chapo-Kroger |
The WHO publishes the ICD, which is
used by more than 100 countries to standardize how diseases are classified. In the ICD-10, which is the current global standard, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), post viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS), and CFS are all classified under Neurological Diseases. "This is a stepwise change that will separate cases of ME/CFS from cases of unspecified chronic fatigue and depression, and, signal the medical community the seriousness of this disease," said Lori Chapo-Kroger, President of CFS Solutions of West Mighigan
and steering committee member.
It is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that at least one million individuals in the U.S. and 17 million worldwide (National Institutes of Health) are stricken with this debilitating, disabling, and sometimes fatal disease.
 |
| Marly Silverman |
The Coalition supports retiring the name chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and a worldwide collaborative accepted case definition, with well-defined diagnostic criteria and guidelines for implementation of well-devised treatment standards. The coalition recognizes pragmatically it will take time to drive this welcome change across all clinical, research, legal, disability, and insurance disciplines in the U.S., this proposal initiative contributes to a productive timely result.
RMCFA extends a special thanks to Marly Silverman (Founder PANDORA and Mary Dimmock for their dedication to this effort.
|
