On 23 February 1988, Jimmy Hood MP addressed the House of Commons to ask MPs “That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require an annual report to Parliament on progress made in investigating the causes, effects and treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis.” Bill 99 was given a first reading as a Private Member’s Bill and slated to be debated again on 15 April.
Moving his Bill, Mr Hood informed MPs that –
Research shows that ME appears to be caused by virile infection, combined with a disfunction of the immune system. There is no doubt that ME is an organic disease. The nature of the disease is such that it primarily strikes the central nervous system, the brain and body muscles. Its most common symptom is a profound weakness of the body, which results in even the most active of people being confined to their bed for long periods, sometimes years.
Another symptom that is more distressing than that is the illness’s effect on the brain. Some normally bright, alert people find themselves unable to function. Their concentration goes; they have difficulty speaking; and even conversation leaves them completely exhausted. Sufferers lose their jobs and their lives come to a halt. Children affected lose out on their education, sometimes for years. For many children the disease totally devastates their lives.
The greatest suffering of all is the anguish caused by misdiagnosis. On top of the physical and mental stress caused by the disease, sufferers’ agonies are compounded by being told that they are well, that there is nothing wrong with them, that they are malingering, or that they are neurotic. It is widely acknowledged that many incidences of suicide result from the refusal of doctors to accept that sufferers are ill from myalgic encephalomyelitis.
The Bill is a simple measure which merely requires the Secretary of State to make an annual report to Parliament describing the progress that has been made in investigating the causes, effects, incidence and treatment of ME. Such a report would be of enormous value in drawing the attention of the medical profession, sufferers themselves and others to whom sufferers may turn for help to what is known about the illness. I cannot emphasise enough how vital it is to give proper recognition to the condition, as the failure to recognise the reality of the illness causes sufferers such great and wholly unnecessary distress…..
….. I submit that the case for justice for ME sufferers is proved beyond all doubt. I have tried today to resist the temptation to speak in strong terms about the failure of the medical profession to recognise myalgic encephalomyelitis and the failure of the Department of Health and Social Security to recognise the plight of ME sufferers. The sufferers are denied proper recognition, misdiagnosed, vilified, ridiculed and driven to great depths of despair. They look to this House for justice. For them all I commend the Bill to the House.
Hansard HC Deb 23 February 1988 vol 128 cc167-8
The introduction of the Private Member’s Bill was supported by other MPs namely – Alfred Morris, Jack Ashley, Brynmor John, Don Dixon, Alan Meale, Dr Lewis Moonie, Sam Galbraith, Harriet Harman, Jimmy Wray, Tom Clarke and Jerry Hayes. but when next it called (15 April 1988) it was objected to and this pattern continued on 22 April, 13 May, and 8th July 1988. It was due to call again on 28 October but no further mention of it and so it is reasonable to conclude that attempts to move it again petered out.
