
Mari, a Black Canadian woman with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is supported by fellow people with ME in the absence of institutional care.

People with the most severe symptoms represent the most clinically urgent population, yet they remain absent from the evidence base that guides care. Their exclusion is not a procedural oversight but a scientific failure, and correcting it is essential for any program committed to understanding the full spectrum of the disease.

Without one, Severe advocates are putting themselves at risk. It’s time for advocacy organizations to step up. Writer’s note: In this essay, I deliberately capitalize different categories of ME in order to give each the weight and dignity they deserve. I also choose to distinguish between the Sick and the Well to highlight our status…

Getting medical help for any severity of Long COVID is challenging. The disease can manifest as over 200 different symptoms, ranging in severity from mildly impacting quality of life to completely debilitating. For those in the most severe categories — who are barely or completely unable to leave their beds — accessing quality care is…
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