We’re proud to share some exciting news: Dr Chris Armstrong, Director of the OMF Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration, has been appointed to the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Clinical Guideline Development Committee for ME/CFS.
Listening to the ME/CFS Community
This significant appointment follows the Roundtable held in March 2024 at Parliament House in Canberra, which OMF Australia supported in partnership with Emerge Australia. Our involvement reflects our commitment to translating cutting-edge research into clinical practice that improves patient outcomes.
The roundtable brought together more than 260 people affected by ME/CFS, alongside clinical, scientific, and patient representatives. It highlighted the urgent and unmet needs of the estimated 930,000 Australians living with ME/CFS, who experience widely varying levels of severity and support.
Australia’s current clinical guidelines for ME/CFS are more than 20 years old. Among other issues, they recommend graded exercise therapy, an approach now known to cause significant harm in the vast majority of cases. As a result, thousands of Australians have been left bed-bound or house-bound, without access to safe and effective care.
While clinicians often do their best within a system lacking in resources and current guidance, the need for updated, evidence-based guidelines is now critical.
Research Driving Clinical Change
Dr Armstrong’s appointment ensures that the latest scientific evidence and breakthrough research from Australia and around the world will be at the heart of Australia’s new clinical guidelines.. His deep expertise in ME/CFS research will help shape care that is informed by modern science and designed to protect patients from harm.
This is a critical step towards translating rigorous research into real-world improvements in clinical care for people with ME/CFS and Long COVID.
We extend our sincere thanks to Health Minister Mark Butler and the NHMRC for recognising the need for updated, evidence-based care. This appointment demonstrates how high-quality research, when applied to clinical practice, can transform lives.
The guideline development process will take place over the next two to three years and will include extensive consultation with people with lived experience, clinicians, researchers and other experts.
While this timeline may feel long, especially for those who have already waited decades for recognition and appropriate care, this is a vital and thorough process—and the work is already underway. Each step brings us closer to safer, evidence-based clinical guidance that reflects the realities of ME/CFS and Long COVID.
You can read more about the Committee here:
🔗 NHMRC Guideline Development Committee
This milestone would not have been possible without your continued support.
Together, we’re laying the foundation for lasting change: anchored in science, shaped by lived experience, and driven by the belief that people with ME/CFS and Long COVID deserve better, safer care.
P.S. Today is the final day of the financial year. If you’ve been considering a gift, now is the perfect time. A tax-deductible donation made before midnight will support critical research that informs better care and helps shape safe, evidence-based clinical practice. With your support, we can accelerate progress for people living with ME/CFS and Long COVID.
