Emerge Australia shares the concerns of ME/CFS patients, carers, researchers and informed clinicians with the release of the updated RACGP HANDI Guide, “Incremental physical activity for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis”.
In 2024, ME/CFS patients should not be subjected to harmful and outdated practices.
In particular, we note that the updated HANDI guide:
- Isn’t evidence-based. It ignores both the lack of effectiveness of GET and the physiological evidence for post-exertional malaise (PEM), for which GET is contraindicated
- Downplays the risk of harm to people who experience PEM
- Claims that long term rest is not recommended, which is contrary to all other clinical guidance for ME/CFS
- Continues to rely on widely discredited PACE trial as a guide for implementing GET
Our team is working on a multi-faceted response to ensure that the concerned voices of patients are heard by the RACGP, the Health Department and the Health Ministry, and to emphasise that clinical guidance must be evidence-based. We will provide further updates as we progress. Read more
