Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome An IOM Report on Redefining an Illness

This Viewpoint describes an Institute of Medicine report on chronic fatigue syndrome, the result of efforts to develop diagnostic criteria for clinical use and recommend new terminology for the disorder.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a multisystem and often long-lasting disorder, with manifestations that can cause substantial morbidity and can severely impair patients’ health and well-being. It is estimated that between 836 000 and 2.5 million individuals are affected in the United States.1,2 Patients with ME/CFS are typically unable to perform their normal activities, and as many as one-fourth are homebound or bedridden, sometimes for extended periods.3 As a result, the personal and social effects and ramifications of this disease are enormous.