After my anger died down I feel sorry for Vicky Whittemore actually. She's worked so hard to earn the ME/CFS communities trust and then some idiot or, at the very least, some totally clueless individual comes along and sabotages that.
Shorter does not in any way reflect what I see the NIH doing but there's someone at the NIH who agrees with him or feels that he should be heard, and as Ron Davis said, we should know who that is and what they were thinking when they invited him.
I like what Waiting said when we learned about the Canadian grant review (see the Dark North post). The tone was very similar; the reviewer said this is not a real disease - you're wasting your money studying it, etc. I imagine that it even could have been Shorter since he is a Canadian.
Now that this person is out in the open it gives us a chance to ferret people like that out; it actually gives us a chance to move forward.
I am disappointed from Koroshetz response to Jenifer Spotila letter. If they realise the mistake to invite that guy they should immediately cancel his invitation. But Koroshetz response between the linces is "well we should count with all the possibilities". we have still long way to go. I read this situation that on NIH there is still a strong group of people who simply dont believe that ME is biological disease. It would be really easy for Koroshetz to cancel the invitation of that ME denialist but for a reason he doesnt want - but this is not the way how to make a trustfull connection to ME community. I hope Ron Davis will find out who invited him - if Wallit - he should immediately leave all work connected to ME.
Still really angry and disappointed - shame on psychiatrists community. The way how this area works is ridiculous and even dangerous.