Cuts in NIH funding for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome research has put researchers in a difficult position. According to information on Co-Cure.org, this difficult position exists because researchers "are reluctant to criticize the government because that would jeopardize their standing in other areas where research money is really plentiful," such as the "hundreds of millions of research dollars for AIDS and more than 100 million for MS." Excluding research funds that were not CFS-specific, in 2004 only $3.9 million was available for CFS research, and now this year even less is available.

To counter this research dollars shortfall, for a limited time Co-Cure has a benefactor willing to match 50% of each donation up to total $3000. Donations are to benefit Dr. Natelson's new study on proteomics in spinal fluid of CFS patients versus controls.

On the Co-Cure.org site, Dr. Benjamin H. Natelson, a Professor of Neurosciences UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, reports that
"[c]urrently there are no biological markers for CFS/FM and the illness can only be diagnosed by following a set of clinical criteria. Because of this, CFS/FM is probably a heterogeneous illness comprised of a number of different subgroups. Our own data point to the brain as a cause of CFS for some patients, and we have collected spinal fluid from nearly 50 patients.

"There is a new technology called proteomics which can identify proteins in any body fluid -- even if the protein has never been seen before. This is an incredibly powerful tool, and it has never been applied to spinal fluid in patients with CFS/FM. However, it is costly to gain access to the proteomics technology and this is where we need your help.

"We had applied to the NIH for a small amount of money to move this work along, but our application did not receive a high enough priority for funding. If you and other patients would be willing to contribute to our doing this research, we would be very grateful and hopeful of discovering a biomarker that could be used to make diagnosis more precise."

The Foundation of the University of Medicine and Dentistry has a secure direct link for donations; visit the Main Gift Donation Page where you can designate the purpose and recipient for your donation.

For more information, see: What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Copyright © 2005 Pamela Rice Hahn
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