I recently contacted the GMC (General Medical Council) to raise a concern: their MLA (Medical Licensing Assessment) content map refers to ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ and not ‘myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)’.
The MLA is an exam that all final-year undergraduate medical students in the UK will have to complete starting in the 2024/2025 academic year. Its purpose is to ensure that all new doctors will share a common base of knowledge and skills. The MLA content map is a list of topics that they will be examined on.
I wrote:
I’m writing to let you know that the term ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ used in the MLA content map should be replaced by ‘myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)’, as used in the NICE guidance (https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206). The term ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ is outdated, is associated with the now-discredited psychogenic theory of the condition, and is considered by the ME patient community to be stigmatizing.
A Graduate Policy Adviser at the GMC replied:
We aren’t making any changes to the MLA content map currently. However, when we next review and update the content map, we will take into account your suggestion.
We will be in touch nearer to the time of the review with more information.
ME/CFS Medical Education Campaign 