The PACE Trial on Trial - with David Tuller [11 am]
David Tuller, a public health academic and journalist from Berkeley, has been covering the controversy over the PACE trial, which looked into graded exercise therapy (GET) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Published in The Lancet in 2011, “Pacing, graded Activity, and Cognitive behaviour therapy; a randomised Evaluation” (known as The PACE Trial) found that GET and CBT led to positive outcomes for ME/CFS patients. Under its influence, CBT and GET became the worldwide gold standard of treatment. This has been disputed by patients across the globe, with many reporting a worsening of their symptoms during GET, and that CBT is ineffective as the illness is biological rather than psychological in nature. However, this has been largely ignored by the medical community and government policymakers. Patients have been disbelieved by their doctors, and research into the true underlying biological causes of the illness remains poorly funded. A recent reanalysis of the PACE trial has uncovered significant issues with the way the study was conducted. It suggests that the trial data did not support the findings made by the researchers and raised questions about possible conflicts of interest by the researchers. Research has long shown that the illness has an underlying biomedical etiology, however treatment guidelines here in Australia are still largely based on CBT and GET.
You can read more about David here:
David Tuller Bio: http://me-pedia.org/wiki/David_Tuller
David Tuller Blog: http://www.virology.ws/mecfs/
The talk will be held in the conference room at The Niche, 11 Aberdare Rd, Nedlands WA 6009 on Sunday 15th April 2018 at 11 am. Please arrive by 10:50 am for parking and check-in. Entry from 10:40 am.
Who can attend?
This talk is open to all, and we would love to see many patients and members of the general public come along. Media and press are welcome to attend - please email us if you need more information or wish to work with us on a story/interview or organise to speak to us on the day. A separate talk is planned at 3 pm for medical professionals, journalists, communications students, academics, government officials, and others. Credentials and proof of qualifications may be required upon entry. If you wish to attend that session, please visit https://www.trybooking.com/370826
If you are too unwell to attend or live too far away, please subscribe to our newsletter at http://eepurl.com/ceaYT9 and we’ll send you updates on whether an audio recording becomes available online.
Tickets
Tickets are free.
Donations to help keep our charity operating are gratefully accepted - this helps us to support as many WA patients as possible.
Please bring a printout of your ticket(s) to this event to facilitate smooth registration, unless you don’t have a printer.
If you wish to cancel or are unable to attend, please let us know ASAP so that others on the waiting list (if applicable) can attend. Cancellations can be made via the link in your ticket email, or by emailing us at info@mecfswa.org.au .
Perfume-free environment
We ask ALL attendees to be mindful of hyper-chemical sensitivities in ME/CFS patients. Please refrain from wearing perfume, fragranced deodorants, and hair care items that have strong odours. Perfumes can trigger migraines and add to the severity of illness in some people. Unscented antiperspirants recommended.
Venue
The talk will be held in the Conference Room at The Niche, 11 Aberdare Road Nedlands WA 6009.
The venue is wheelchair friendly and is strictly non-smoking.
Click here for a more detailed map: https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/11+Aberdare+Rd,+Nedlands+WA+6009
Parking and public transport
Free parking for conference attendees won’t be available at The Niche (a building rule), so please bring coins or card for parking in either Derby Road or SCGH/QEII car park. Carpool where possible. A map of parking options and parking costs can be found at http://www.bit.ly/nicheparking. Public transport is readily available. You can research your public transport options by clicking here.
Location
Conference Room
11 Aberdare Road, Nedlands WA 6009
Contact Details