{"id":138,"date":"2022-01-13T12:16:39","date_gmt":"2022-01-13T12:16:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kahlbrandt.s45.tech\/?page_id=138"},"modified":"2025-11-07T14:30:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T14:30:05","slug":"was-ist-me-cfs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/was-ist-me-cfs\/","title":{"rendered":"What is ME\/CFS?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"138\" class=\"elementor elementor-138\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3ed829bd elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"3ed829bd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;rae_animations_entrance&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1066e4cd rael-particle-no elementor-invisible\" data-id=\"1066e4cd\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-7cb3590b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"7cb3590b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;rae_animations_entrance&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-79c55418 rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"79c55418\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72434877 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"72434877\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What is ME\/CFS?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3369c632 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"3369c632\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;rae_animations_entrance&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-353a53ed rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"353a53ed\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-341732b3 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"341732b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;,&quot;_animation_delay&quot;:200}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">ME\/CFS is \"the last major under-researched disease\"<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2aec22d6 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2aec22d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;,&quot;_animation_delay&quot;:400}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>ME\/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis\/chronic fatigue syndrome) is a severe multisystem disease that usually occurs after an infection but can also be triggered by other factors.<\/p><p>In Germany, the number of people living with ME\/CFS in 2024 was more than 650,000. Some patients who develop Long COVID or post-COVID syndrome after COVID-19 eventually fulfil the diagnostic criteria for ME\/CFS. Already prior to the COVID-19 pandemic around 400,000 people in Germany were living with ME\/CFS. Globally, the numer of people affected by the disease could be significantly exceeding 40 million.\u00a0<\/p><p>There are currently no recognised therapies or drugs to effectively treat or cure the underlying disease mechanisms of ME\/CFS. The provision of and access to medical and social care are inadequate. Misdiagnoses and subsequent complications are not uncommon. The high number of affected individuals is an increasingly critical factor for all areas of care, as well as the economy, due to the loss of training and labor.<\/p><p>Providing funding for basic research to identify causative disease mechanisms, the development of biomarkers, building-up diagnostic capacities and for clinical and translational research to develop effective therapies could significantly reduce the costs of these diseases and improve the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of people in Germany (and millions of people worldwide).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-801b122 rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"801b122\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-806a501 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"806a501\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-ron-lach-8486177-scaled.jpg\" title=\"pexels-ron-lach-8486177\" alt=\"pexels-ron-lach-8486177\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ae76e1f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"ae76e1f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;rae_animations_entrance&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bcea134 rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"bcea134\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7bf8a7f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7bf8a7f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcus-aurelius-4064229-683x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-12794\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcus-aurelius-4064229-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcus-aurelius-4064229-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcus-aurelius-4064229-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcus-aurelius-4064229-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcus-aurelius-4064229-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcus-aurelius-4064229-8x12.jpg 8w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-marcus-aurelius-4064229-scaled.jpg 1706w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c8bf49a elementor-widget elementor-widget-menu-anchor\" data-id=\"c8bf49a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"menu-anchor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"whatismecfsfaq\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ee53043 rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"ee53043\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b73adb9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b73adb9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;_animation_delay&quot;:200}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">A severe hardship for patients and their relatives<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-314acde elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"314acde\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;_animation_delay&quot;:400}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>People living with ME\/CFS suffer from a pronounced worsening of their symptoms after minor physical or mental exertion, so-called post-exertional malaise (PEM). In addition to the main symptom of PEM, the complex clinical picture of ME\/CFS includes severe fatigue (pathological, persistent exhaustion), low exercise tolerance, muscle weakness, cognitive dysfunction, pronounced pain, sleep disturbances, circulatory problems, hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, and a dysfunction of the immune system and the autonomic nervous system.<\/p><p>ME\/CFS patients often have a very low quality of life and, not infrequently, a high degree of disability. Approximately two-thirds of all people living with ME\/CFS are unable to work, and many are confined to their homes or beds. Many severely affected adults live alone and lack adequate medical and social care.<\/p><p>Overall participation and quality of life are often significantly limited, especially for children, adolescents, and young adults living with ME\/CFS. Due to the lack of adequate care, care for patients, especially those with severe or even the most severe symptoms, is often provided by family members and relatives. This often also leaves the living situation of caregivers in a precarious state.\u00a0<\/p><p>Our <a href=\"#whatismecfsfaq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">FAQ \/ Information on ME\/CFS, Long COVID, post-COVID syndrome<\/span><\/a> (see below) provides <span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size );\">additional insights on the disease, including sources and literature.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab498ee elementor-align-left elementor-tablet-align-center elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"ab498ee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;_animation_delay&quot;:600}\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-md elementor-animation-grow\" href=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/research\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Learn more about ME\/CFS research<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c6ae468 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"c6ae468\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;rae_animations_entrance&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0357eec rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"0357eec\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84e1806 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"84e1806\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Societal costs in the order of billions<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-74ddcef elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"74ddcef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span lang=\"de\">Like Long COVID and post-COVID syndrome, ME\/CFS, too, has long been suspected of causing significant societal costs.\u00a0<\/span><span lang=\"de\">Until recently, neither the total number of people living with either of these diseases nor the extent of the economic, social and medical costs that both diseases cause in Germany were known. <\/span><\/p><p>A new report published jointly by the ME\/CFS Research Foundation and Risklayer in May 2025 is the first to provide a holistic model of the number of people living with ME\/CFS or Long COVID and the costs associated with these debilitating diseases in Germany.<\/p><p>The report's findings paint a grim picture: In the five-year period between 2020 and 2024, Long COVID and ME\/CFS cost Germany more than 250 billion Euros. In 2024 alone, Long COVID and ME\/CFS cost 63.1 billion Euros, equivalent to 1.5% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) that year. <span lang=\"de\">In total, more than 1.5 million people in Germany were living with either Long COVID or ME\/CFS at the end of 2024.<\/span><\/p><p>According to the model, the occurrence of ME\/CFS in Germany alone resulted in societal costs of 30.9 billion Euros in 2024, with more than 650,000 people affected. <span lang=\"de\">In fact, international experts previously predicted that the already relatively high number of people living with ME\/CFS in the general population would likely increase significantly with the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Since COVID-19 is now endemic and there are currently no effective therapies or cures, it can be concluded that the issue of Long COVID and ME\/CFS will not resolve itself, and the associated costs will likely increase or remain at a stable, high level over time.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5130cf2 elementor-align-left elementor-tablet-align-center elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"5130cf2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;_animation_delay&quot;:600}\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-md elementor-animation-grow\" href=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/costreport-long-covid-and-mecfs\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Learn more about costs of ME\/CFS<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f2f804e rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"f2f804e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-12b504e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"12b504e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"734\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/figure_6_webseite_ENGLISH-scaled-1-734x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-12793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/figure_6_webseite_ENGLISH-scaled-1-734x1024.jpg 734w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/figure_6_webseite_ENGLISH-scaled-1-215x300.jpg 215w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/figure_6_webseite_ENGLISH-scaled-1-768x1071.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/figure_6_webseite_ENGLISH-scaled-1-1102x1536.jpg 1102w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/figure_6_webseite_ENGLISH-scaled-1-1469x2048.jpg 1469w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/figure_6_webseite_ENGLISH-scaled-1-9x12.jpg 9w, https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/figure_6_webseite_ENGLISH-scaled-1.jpg 1836w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 734px) 100vw, 734px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c67b092 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"c67b092\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;rae_animations_entrance&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b64b09d rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"b64b09d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5482f77 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5482f77\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;_animation_delay&quot;:200}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">FAQ: Information on ME\/CFS, Long COVID, post-COVID syndrome<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bbfb074 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bbfb074\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Please click on the questions for answers and more information.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af28215 elementor-widget elementor-widget-toggle\" data-id=\"af28215\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"toggle.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1831\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1831\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What is ME\/CFS?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1831\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1831\"><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ME\/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis\/chronic fatigue syndrome) is a complex, severe, and chronic disease of the nervous and immune systems. ME\/CFS predominantly develops post-infectiously, including as a result of COVID-19. It is considered the most severe form of post-COVID syndrome. ME\/CFS patients suffer from pronounced physical and cognitive symptoms, a very low quality of life, and often have a high degree of disability (1, 2). The quality of life of ME\/CFS sufferers is, on average, lower than that of multiple sclerosis, stroke, or lung cancer patients (3). 60\u201373% of all people living with ME\/CFS are unable to work, and one-quarter of those affected can no longer leave their homes (4\u20137). Many patients are bedridden and dependent on care (2).<\/p><p>The cardinal symptom of ME\/CFS is severe exercise intolerance with worsening symptoms after daily activities, so called post-exertional malaise (PEM). Other major symptoms include severe fatigue (pathological, persistent exhaustion), cognitive impairment, pain, muscle weakness, and circulatory problems (1, 2).<\/p><p>The diagnosis of ME\/CFS is complex due to the lack of specific biomarkers (especially multidisciplinary exclusion diagnostics) and there is currently no causal therapy. The care situation is inadequate, too. Misdiagnoses and resulting negative health outcomes are not uncommon. Adults with ME\/CFS have little prospect of recovery and reintegration into working life. The prognosis for children and adolescents is considered to be somewhat better. Long school absences are the rule nevertheless. For most of those affected, participation in normal life, including work, education, and social life is not possible.<\/p><p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Sources: <\/span><\/p><p>1. <a href=\"https:\/\/cfc.charite.de\/fuer_patienten\/literatur_und_empfehlungen_fuer_patienten\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">https:\/\/cfc.charite.de\/fuer_patienten\/literatur_und_empfehlungen_fuer_patienten<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(external link)<\/p><p>2. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mecfs.de\/was-ist-me-cfs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.mecfs.de\/was-ist-me-cfs<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0132421\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0132421<\/span><\/a> \u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(external link)<\/span><\/p><p>4. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/21641846.2014.978109\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/21641846.2014.978109<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><p>5. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/aje\/article\/185\/8\/617\/3073694\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/aje\/article\/185\/8\/617\/3073694<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nap.nationalacademies.org\/catalog\/19012\/beyond-myalgic-encephalomyelitischronic-fatigue-syndrome-redefining-an-illness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/nap.nationalacademies.org\/catalog\/19012\/beyond-myalgic-encephalomyelitischronic-fatigue-syndrome-redefining-an-illness<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><p>7. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1742395316644770\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1742395316644770<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><p>Statements in the text above can also be found in the statement by Prof. Carmen Scheibenbogen and Prof. Uta Behrends from the ME\/CFS hearing of the German Bundestag Health Committee (April 2023): <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bundestag.de\/resource\/blob\/943054\/d6c654c3cabe15eb6f3f194a7fdd12d6\/20_14_0095-7-_ESVe-Carmen-Scheibenbogen-und-Uta-Behrends_ME-CFS_nicht-barrierefrei-data.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.bundestag.de\/resource\/blob\/943054\/d6c654c3cabe15eb6f3f194a7fdd12d6\/20_14_0095-7-_ESVe-Carmen-Scheibenbogen-und-Uta-Behrends_ME-CFS_nicht-barrierefrei-data.pdf<\/a> <\/span>(external link)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1832\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1832\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">How many people are living with ME\/CFS?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1832\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1832\"><p>In Germany, more than 650,000 people were living with ME\/CFS in 2024. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 400,000 people with ME\/CFS were already receiving medical attention in Germany (1).<\/p><p>The number of children and adolescents living with ME\/CFS in Germany was estimated at 40,000 prior to 2020. Experts expect this number to have doubled due to the COVID-19 pandemic (2). It can be assumed that approximately 80,000 children and adolescents in Germany are currently living with ME\/CFS.<\/p><p>Some people living with Long COVID or post-COVID syndrome meet the diagnostic criteria for ME\/CFS. Since SARS-CoV-2 is now endemic, a steadily increasing number of people with ME\/CFS (as a result of COVID-19) is expected in Germany and worldwide. In addition, ME\/CFS cases also continue to arise as a result of other infectious diseases and triggers.<\/p><p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Sources:<\/span><\/p><p>1. <span lang=\"EN-GB\"><span lang=\"DE\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/costreport-long-covid-and-mecfs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/costreport-long-covid-and-mecfs<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><p>2. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mecfs.de\/was-ist-me-cfs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.mecfs.de\/was-ist-me-cfs<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1833\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1833\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What is Long COVID or post-COVID syndrome?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1833\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1833\"><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In connection with a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, various long-term health effects have been observed, which are summarised under the term Long COVID. These are health complaints that persist or reappear beyond the acute phase of a SARS-CoV-2 infection of 4 weeks. These can affect different organ systems, cause different symptoms and have different causes.<\/p><p>Post-COVID syndrome refers to symptoms that are still present more than 12 weeks after the onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection and cannot be explained in any other way. Long COVID therefore includes both symptoms that persist after an acute COVID-19 illness 4 to 12 weeks after the onset of symptoms and post-COVID syndrome. Symptoms of Long COVID or post-COVID Syndrome include fatigue (pathological exhaustion)<span class=\"HwtZe\" lang=\"de\"><span class=\"jCAhz ChMk0b\"><span class=\"ryNqvb\">, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction (\u201cbrain fog\u201d), memory problems, muscle pain and spasms, but also post-exertional malaise (PEM), the cardinal symptom of ME\/CFS (2).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><p>A data model published in May 2025 by the ME\/CFS Research Foundation and Risklayer, concludes, based on the current state of scientific literature, that by the end of 2024, more than 870,000 people in Germany were living with Long COVID or post-COVID syndrome. This resulted in societal costs of 32.2 billion Euro (2).<\/p><p>A proportion of people with post-COVID syndrome eventually meet the diagnostic criteria for ME\/CFS after 6 months. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 5 people with long-term post-COVID syndrome meet the criteria for ME\/CFS. ME\/CFS is considered the most severe form of post-COVID syndrome (2).\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Sources:<\/span><\/p><p>1. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rki.de\/DE\/Themen\/Infektionskrankheiten\/Infektionskrankheiten-A-Z\/C\/COVID-19\/Long-COVID\/Inhalt-gesamt.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.rki.de\/DE\/Themen\/Infektionskrankheiten\/Infektionskrankheiten-A-Z\/C\/COVID-19\/Long-COVID\/Inhalt-gesamt.html<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><p>2. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/costreport-long-covid-and-mecfs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/costreport-long-covid-and-mecfs<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1834\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1834\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why is ME\/CFS a medical, social, and economic crisis?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1834\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1834\"><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ME\/CFS is one of the diseases with the lowest quality of life. In some cases, it is lower than in patients with stroke, heart failure, or cancer. Various studies have measured the lowest vitality and functionality levels of any chronic disease in ME\/CFS patients (1).<\/p><p>The disease ME\/CFS was included by the Wordl Health Organization (WHO) as a neurological disease in the International Classification of Diseases in 1969 (ICD-10 G93.3). Nevertheless, little research was carried out on this topic for decades. Biomedical and clinical research, in particular, lay dormant for a long time. Experts believe that one reason for the lack of research is that there was little government funding available internationally for research in this area. In Germany, there was no official research funding for ME\/CFS until 2020.<\/p><p>Furthermore, most physicians are still inadequately trained to diagnose and treat ME\/CFS. In Germany, there are currently only two specialised outpatient clinics (in Berlin and Munich), and the diagnostic and care situation for patients is inadequate (2, 3). Similar to physicians, most medical assessors also have insufficient knowledge of ME\/CFS (4). Many assessment procedures do not adequately consider the symptoms of ME\/CFS or classify them incorrectly. As a result, those affected are denied medical and social services or are faced with enormous difficulties. Care, nursing, and social services fall primarily on relatives, families, and friends.<\/p><p>The high number of those affected is an increasingly critical factor for all areas of healthcare, as well as economically due to the loss of training and labour. A data model by the ME\/CFS Research Foundation and Risklayer estimated the social costs of ME\/CFS in Germany at 30.9 billion Euro for 2024. Although the model only considers historical data, it can be assumed that the number of active ME\/CFS cases will increase by at least around 34,000 additional cases between 2025 and 2028 due to the Long COVID cases that have already occurred in 2024. Since COVID-19 is now endemic and there are currently neither effective therapies nor a cure, it can be concluded that the problem of Long COVID and ME\/CFS will not resolve itself. <span lang=\"de\">Compared to the total costs incurred by Long COVID and ME\/CFS over the last five years (around 250 billion Euro), the German Federal Government's expenditure on research measures to combat the negative effects of these two diseases over the same period (around 200 million Euro) pales in comparison (5).<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Sources:<\/span><\/p><p>1: <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mecfs.de\/daten-fakten\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.mecfs.de\/daten-fakten<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><p>2: <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cfc.charite.de\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/cfc.charite.de<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><p>3: <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mcfc.mri.tum.de\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/mcfc.mri.tum.de<\/a> <\/span>(external link)<\/p><p>4: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bundestag.de\/resource\/blob\/943054\/d6c654c3cabe15eb6f3f194a7fdd12d6\/20_14_0095-7-_ESVe-Carmen-Scheibenbogen-und-Uta-Behrends_ME-CFS_nicht-barrierefrei-data.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.bundestag.de\/resource\/blob\/943054\/d6c654c3cabe15eb6f3f194a7fdd12d6\/20_14_0095-7-_ESVe-Carmen-Scheibenbogen-und-Uta-Behrends_ME-CFS_nicht-barrierefrei-data.pdf<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/span><\/p><p>5. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/costreport-long-covid-and-mecfs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/costreport-long-covid-and-mecfs<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1835\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1835\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What is needed to solve the problem of ME\/CFS?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1835\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1835\"><p>ME\/CFS has not been adequately studied for decades. As a result, research into possible disease mechanisms and potential treatment options is still in its infancy. In connection with this, the healthcare situation and social security for people living with ME\/CFS remain inadequate.\u00a0<\/p><p>Only since 2020, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal and state governments in Germany started to proactively raise awareness and improve the general care situation for people living with ME\/CFS, and especially for people living with Long COVID. This also applies to the provision of funding for basic research as well as clinical and epidemiological research projects. Nevertheless, the overall efforts and the amount of funding provided to promote and improve research, care, and treatment for ME\/CFS (historically and to date), as well as for Long COVID, remain disproportionately low compared to the costs, and even compared to similarly common and comparably severe illnesses.<\/p><p>The long-term and appropriate provision of funding for basic, clinical, and translational research to identify causative disease mechanisms, discover biomarkers, build diagnostic capacities, and develop effective therapies, including novel drugs, could significantly improve the lives of the approximately 650,000 people currently living with ME\/CFS in Germany. It could also significantly reduce the incurred societal costs. What is needed is significantly more investment by public bodies and, in particular, the active engagement of the pharmaceutical industry to successfully develop mass-marketable diagnostic and therapeutic options and make them accessible to a broad patient population. Funding initiatives by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, such as the joint projects on ME\/CFS disease mechanisms and the National Clinical Studies Group (NKSG), are important first steps in this direction (1, 2). More long-term, large-scale funding measures of this kind are urgently needed.<\/p><p>In order to be able to solve the central issue of the disease \u2013 the lack of understanding of the disease mechanisms and suitable treatment options \u2013 stable framework conditions for a long-term and sustainable ME\/CFS research landscape in Germany must be created. As the ME\/CFS Research Foundation, we see ourselves, with the financial resources available to us, in the role of supporting key research initiatives in Germany. In doing so, we assume the role of funding complementary research projects that enable partial aspects or previously underfunded sub-projects within projects already financed with public funds. In addition, we fund exploratory research on topics and research questions that have not yet been researched sufficiently or at all. With our commitment, we are thus making an important contribution to further expanding the ME\/CFS research field (3).<\/p><p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Sources:<\/span><\/p><p>1. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gesundheitsforschung-bmbf.de\/de\/pathomechanismen-von-me-cfs-18010.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.gesundheitsforschung-bmbf.de\/de\/pathomechanismen-von-me-cfs-18010.php<\/a><\/span> (external link)<\/p><p>2. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gesundheitsforschung-bmbf.de\/de\/nationale-klinische-studien-gruppe-nksg-post-covid-syndrom-und-me-cfs-15737.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">https:\/\/www.gesundheitsforschung-bmbf.de\/de\/nationale-klinische-studien-gruppe-nksg-post-covid-syndrom-und-me-cfs-15737.php<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(external link)<\/p><p>3. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/fundingstrategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/fundingstrategy<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1836\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1836\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Where can I find more infomation on ME\/CFS?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1836\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1836\"><p>More information on the clinical picture of the disease is available, for example, on the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cfc.charite.de\/fuer_patienten\/literatur_und_empfehlungen_fuer_patienten\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website of the Charit\u00e9 Fatigue Center<\/a><\/span> (external link).<\/p><p>Additional information can be found on the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mecfs.de\/was-ist-me-cfs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website of the German Association for ME\/CFS<\/a><\/span> (external link), which provides a range of information on the disease, data and facts, the current state of research and political developments surrounding ME\/CFS and Long COVID (in German).<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1837\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1837\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Can you recommend doctors, drugs or therapies?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1837\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1837\"><p>Unfortunately, the ME\/CFS Research Foundation is unable to answer questions about medical care or treatment recommendations. We cannot, and are not allowed to, recommend any medical treatments or physicians.<\/p><p>The Charit\u00e9 Fatigue Center provides general <a href=\"https:\/\/cfc.charite.de\/fuer_patienten\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">information for patients<\/span><\/a> (external link) and an overview of ME\/CFS support groups and patient organisations in Germany. Information on therapy approaches and research is available in layman's terms on the English-language website <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthrising.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">healthrising.org<\/span><\/a> (external link).<\/p><p>We plan to expand the information on these topics on our website at a later date.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1838\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1838\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">My question is not (yet) answered here ...<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1838\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1838\"><p>We regularly add items and content to our list of FAQs. If you have a question that has not yet been asked or answered adequately here, please simply send us an e-mail: <a href=\"mailto:FAQ@mecfs-research.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">faq@mecfs-research.org<\/span><\/a>We will then respond to your question as soon as possible.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86cc94b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"86cc94b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>More information \/ FAQ<\/strong> on other topics can be found on our following websites:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-5d8c689 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"5d8c689\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;rae_animations_entrance&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-25 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-1f9df44 rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"1f9df44\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0310398 elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"0310398\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm elementor-animation-grow\" href=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/research\/#researchfaq\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-question-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">FAQ \"Research\"<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-25 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-08279ab rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"08279ab\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-719978a elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"719978a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm elementor-animation-grow\" href=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/about-us\/#aboutFAQ\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-question-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">FAQ \"About us\"<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-25 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-ffa321c rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"ffa321c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0c5d666 elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"0c5d666\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm elementor-animation-grow\" href=\"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/support\/#SpendenFAQ\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-question-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">FAQ \"Donations\"<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-25 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-ed01264 rael-particle-no\" data-id=\"ed01264\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Was ist ME\/CFS? ME\/CFS ist &#8220;die letzte gro\u00dfe kaum erforschte Krankheit&#8221; ME\/CFS (Myalgische Encephalomyelitis\/Chronisches Fatigue-Syndrom) ist eine schwere, chronische Multisystem-Erkrankung, die meistens nach einer Infektion aber auch nach anderen Ausl\u00f6sern auftritt. In Deutschland lag die Zahl der Menschen, die mit ME\/CFS leben, im Jahr 2024 bei mehr als 650.000. Ein Teil der durch COVID-19 an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-138","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138"}],"version-history":[{"count":287,"href":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14481,"href":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/138\/revisions\/14481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}