Is the WHO definition of ME the best we have?

[craigmorris]

I often have to explain ME to a range of different people from family and friends, to my wife's colleagues and various medical practitioners and find it difficult and exhausting to do so. Is the WHO definition the best we have? I read the research the ME Association publishes each Friday and can't help but feel the definition needs updating.

[Dr Charles Shepherd]

Craig

The WHO classifies disease rather than defines disease

There are now a large number of clinical and research definitions for both ME (London, Ramsay, International), CFS (Australian, Fukuda, Oxford, NICE - which doctors are now encouraged to use) and ME/CFS (Canadian)

I agree that this is confusing for both patients and doctors and it does make it very difficult when it comes to explaining to people what this illness actually is