May 5 & 6 – CFS Advisory Committee Meeting in Washington, DC – Patients & Advocates Urged to Participate

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has scheduled the next meeting of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC) in Washington, DC – to be held Monday, May 5, 2008 and Tuesday, May 6, 2008.

• The meeting hours are from 9 a.m. to approximately 5 p.m. on both days.
• The meeting is open to the public and invites patient/advocate comments.
• The address: Department of Health and Human Services; Room 800 Hubert H. Humphrey Building; 200 Independence Avenue, SW.; Washington, DC 20201.
• Public attendance at the meeting is limited to space available. Attendees must provide a photo ID for entry into the building; and those who will need special assistance such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodations should call (202) 401-7605.
• The agenda for this meeting is being developed and when finalized will be posted on the CFSAC Website (http://www.hhs.gov/advcomcfs).

Information about the public comments, the CFSAC, and its charter, is as follows.

Patients and Advocates Are Urged to
Attend & Register to Offer Comments

The meeting is open to members of the public. ME/CFS patients and advocates who wish to offer brief comments during the public comment session must preregister by May 1, 2008 by calling (202) 401-7605, and provide at least one copy of any materials to be reproduced prior to close of business on May 1. Materials and any questions should be addressed to:

Dr. Anand K. Parekh, Executive Secretary, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee; Department of Health and Human Services; 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 727H; Washington, DC 20201; (202) 401-7605.

Regarding the Content and Length of Public Comments

The meeting announcement states:

• The Committee is very interested to hear about experiences that individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have had interfacing with the medical community.
• In addition, the Committee welcomes specific comments on issues surrounding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome research, provider education, and quality of life.
• Public comment will be limited to five minutes per speaker.

The CFSAC – Current Members and Intended Function

The CFSAC was established on September 5, 2002. For information on current members, go to the CFSAC website at http://www.hhs.gov/advcomcfs. The Committee was established to advise, consult with, and make recommendations to the Secretary of HHS, through the Assistant Secretary for Health, on a broad range of topics including:

• The current state of knowledge and research about the epidemiology and risk factors relating to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and identifying potential opportunities in these areas;
• Current and proposed diagnosis and treatment methods for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and
• Development and implementation of programs to inform the public, health care professionals, and the biomedical, academic, and research communities about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome advances.