The federal CFS Advisory Committee (CFSAC) will hold an in-person meeting on January 12 and January 13, 2017. CFSAC advises the Assistant Secretary for Health about issues relevant to the ME community, such as research, definition, access to care, and medical education.

As part of each meeting, CFSAC allows time for public comment. Anyone can sign up for a comment slot, and you can deliver comment in person or over the telephone. You can speak on any topic you like, although the Committee specifically invites comment at this meeting on:

school accommodation issues

methods/programs for meaningful stakeholder engagement

clinical care and medical education challenges

and/or the stigma associated with this disease

CFSAC meetings are one of the places where ME patients and activists can speak directly to the federal representatives from agencies, including NIH and CDC. It is a unique opportunity to provide input on current government efforts, and on what further action is needed.

The Committee welcomes input on any topic related to ME/CFS.

Don’t let this opportunity go to waste. It would be a shame (and an embarrassment) for us not to fill or exceed the capacity for comment slots.

Additional Information If you wish to comment, you must request a public comment slot by sending an email to [email protected] The email must include your name and the telephone number at which you can be reached for the public comment session. The deadline to request a slot is this coming Thursday, January 5, 2017. Your comment must be no longer than three minutes when read aloud. If you would like a copy of your testimony to be provided to the Committee members, you must submit your comment before the meeting — please submit no more than 5, single-spaced pages, in MS Word and 12-point font. If you wish your comment to be anonymous, you may say so.