On 28 October, 2024, representatives of the European ME Alliance (EMEA) had the opportunity to meet with Hans Kluge, Regional Director of WHO Europe, in Copenhagen:

Gracemarie Bricalli, President, noted the 2020 European Parliament Resolution on ME/CFS estimates there are 240 million sufferers worldwide.

Jesper Mehlsen, Co-Chair of the European ME Research Group (EMERG), explained his work to develop a standard treatment protocol.

Johanna Rohrhofer, Member of the Young European ME Research Group (YEMERG) and EMEA’s representative in the WHO’s Youth4Health Group, stated she is collaborating with colleagues across the globe.

Cathrine Engsig, Past President and Board member of the Danish ME Association, informed that despite a 2019 Danish parliamentary resolution, Danish health authorities refuse to categorize ME in accordance with WHO’s ICD-10 code, leading to misdiagnosis and referrals to psychiatry as a ‘functional disorder’.

EMEA congratulated Dr. Kluge on his re-election as WHO Regional Director for 2025-2030, and commended his pledge that he would ‘leave no one behind’, including people suffering with the severely debilitating symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME or ME/CFS). During the meeting Dr. Kluge said that ‘disbelief’ of patients is one of the worst things that can happen to them, and we must work to restore their trust in the healthcare system. EMEA and WHO Europe will work together on identifying action points to move the collaboration forward.

During the WHO Regional Committee Session RC74, 29-31 October 2024, EMEA addressed the 53 WHO Europe Member States for the first time, delivering 4 statements and calling for a comprehensive and well-funded international strategy on ME/CFS, which it stands ready to support with its expertise.

Please click here to read more about the meeting with Dr. Kluge and the EMEA statements.