# Doctors draw up list of non-diseases



## Susan Purry (Nov 6, 2001)

I posted this on the Fibro & CFS forum, but the emphasis was on CFS/M.E there. This article is about a number of illnesses, although strangely, considering the tone of the article, IBS isn't mentioned. I do understand that some of the conditions mentioned are not diseases (CFS.ME and Fibromyalgia are just 2), but they are illnesses. That some doctors believe these illnesses "do not require treatment", and are "natural processes" and the people who suffer from them are "the walking well" is incredible (quotes are words from the BBC lunchtime news report)


> quote: *Doctors draw up list of 'non-diseases'*Infertility, obesity and depression are "non-diseases" according to some doctors, a poll for the British Medical Journal has shown. The journal put together a list of 174 medical complaints which it argued could be defined in non-medical terms. It then asked doctors to vote for those they wished to be re-classified as a "lifestyle condition". But patient groups have criticised the poll, saying it is "crude" and "unhelpful". About 570 readers responded to the BMJ's poll. Top of the list came ageing, work-related problems and boredom. The top 20 also included jet lag, cellulite, and anxiety about ***** size. But the poll also showed that obesity was seen as a non-disease by 8%, infertility by 4% and depression by 2%. Chronic fatigue syndrome / myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) and the menopause were deemed non-diseases by 13%. Fibromyalgia and transvestism were named by 8%. And 7% wanted both Gulf War syndrome and premenstrual syndrome reclassified. Diabetes and osteoporosis were named by 2%. *'Genuine suffering' *The BMJ is looking at the issue of medicalisation, where more and more aspects of human life are redefined as medical problems, in its forthcoming issue. *Top 10 'non-diseases' (% of votes) *Ageing - 44 Work - 35 Boredom - 32 Bags under eyes - 31 Ignorance - 28 Baldness - 28 Freckles - 27 Big ears - 26 Grey or white hair - 25 Ugliness - 24 *Some conditions on the 'non-disease' list (% of votes) * Domestic violence - 14 Menopause - 13 CFS/ME - 13 Obesity - 8 Gulf War syndrome - 7 Prementstrual syndrome - 7 Infertility - 4 Depression - 2 Diabetes - 2 Osteoporsis - 2 Richard Smith, editor of the BMJ, wrote: "To have your condition labelled as a disease may bring considerable benefit. "Immediately you are likely to enjoy sympathy rather than blame, and you may be exempted from many commitments, including work. "You may also feel that you have an explanation for your suffering." But he added: "The diagnosis of a disease may also create problems. You may be denied insurance, a mortgage, and employment. "Some diseases carry an inescapable stigma, which may create more problems than the disease itself. "Worst of all, the diagnosis may lead you to regard yourself as forever flawed and incapable of 'rising above' your problem." He said: "We are not suggesting that the suffering of people with these 'non-diseases' is not genuine, but surely everything is to be gained and nothing lost by raising consciousness about the slipperiness of the concept of disease." *'Crude' *But Dr Peter Skolar, a London GP, told the BBC more and more of doctors time was being taken up by the worried well. "People are now concerned more over items such as their self-image, their self-esteem, their workplace related stress, their cosmetic problems, their lifestyle problems. "These now become more important as illness, as such, is better dealt with." Theresa Coe has had CFS/ME for 12 years. She said: "It can make you feel like a fraud, which is really damaging if you're already feeling fatigue and pain and weakness and flu-like illness which is very debilitating." Brian Dow of Action for M.E. told BBC News Online he did not object to a mature discussion about what constituted a disease. But he added: "I don't think it's a particularly responsible way of going about this. A spokeswoman for the National Osteoporosis Society said it was "very disappointed" that a small number of doctors felt osteoporosis was a "non-disease". She said: "There are in excess of 300,000 fractures as a result of the condition every year - the people who are suffering these painful and debilitating fractures would, we think, be disappointed and annoyed to hear their suffering is considered by some to be a 'non-disease'. "We already have a problem with osteoporosis not being properly recognised - this doesn't help." Mike Stone, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: "I think this is worrying for patients because of the fact they have faith in their doctors. "When people go to their doctors, they are going there to find out what's wrong with them." "There may be things doctors can't deal with, but surely the first place people should go to get themselves checked out is the doctors. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/ne...000/1920768.stm


This is what I posted on the Fibro & CFS forum: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php...ic;f=9;t=001092


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Suse, this sucks! When you told me about this this afternoon i was fuming! I have seem my friends suffering of ME first hand and can definately say its not a non-disease! It is very real!Grrr...I too am surprised that IBS wasn't there too. I wouldn't put it past them.


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

maybe IBS is not mentioned because of the work of LAG and maybe something needs to be done for CFS?tom


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