An open letter to Dr. Richard Horton and The Lancet

Dr. Richard Horton The Lancet 125 London Wall London, EC2Y 5AS, UK Dear Dr. Horton: In February, 2011, The Lancet published an article called “Comparison of adaptive pacing therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, graded exercise therapy, and specialist medical care for chronic fatigue syndrome (PACE): a randomized trial.” The article reported that two “rehabilitative” approaches, cognitive behavior therapy and graded exercise therapy, were effective in treating chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, ME/CFS and CFS/ME. The study received international attention and has had widespread influence on research, treatment options and public attitudes. The PACE study was an unblinded clinical trial with subjective primary outcomes, a design that requires strict vigilance in order to prevent the possibility of bias. Yet the study suffered from major flaws that have raised serious concerns about the validity, reliability and integrity of the findings. The patient and advocacy communities have known this for years, but a recent in-depth report on this site, which included statements from five of us, has brought the extent of the problems to the attention of a broader public. The PACE investigators have replied to many of the criticisms, but their responses have not addressed or answered key concerns. The major flaws documented at length in the recent report include, but are not limited to, the following: *The Lancet paper included an analysis in wh...
Source: virology blog - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Commentary Information adaptive pacing therapy CFS chronic fatigue syndrome clinical trial cognitive behaviour therapy graded exercise therapy mecfs PACE specialist medical care The Lancet Source Type: blogs