An International Consensus Panel, consisting of clinicians, research investigators, teaching faculty, and an independent educator, represent diverse backgrounds, medical specialities and geographical regions. Collectively, the members of the panel have:

• diagnosed and/or treated more than 50 000 patients who have ME;

• more than 500 years of clinical experience;

• approximately 500 years of teaching experience;

• authored hundreds of peer-reviewed publications, as well as written chapters and medical books; and

• several members have co-authored previous criteria.

 

Panel members contributed their extensive knowledge and experience to the development of the International Consensus Criteria (ICC) and this Primer. In addition, an International Symptom Scale will be developed to complement the criteria and promote clearer identification of patients for research studies.

 

Primer Consensus: The authors, representing twelve countries, reached 100 % consensus through a Delphi-type process.

 

We consider this International Consensus provides the best contemporary definition of the illness together with the Canadian Consensus.

 

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