The CFS Research Foundation was launched in 1993 when a group of doctors and scientists decided that it was essential that a medical research foundation should be established to study the illness which appeared to be increasing in prevalence and severity. At the time CFS/ME and its sufferers were almost totally neglected by doctors and scientists.

In 1993 there was only a small amount of research into the illness and that was not of the highest standard. The situation was made worse by the aggressive attitude of many support groups towards scientists and to the medical profession as well as towards each other. Naturally researchers were becoming wary of being involved in research in such muddy waters.

The Foundation decided that a new attitude must be established so that CFS/ME was seen as a challenging illness which must be addressed with urgency by doctors and scientists. To this end the CFS Research Foundation decided that it should bring together the best minds to meet the challenge presented by this disease. A Research Committee was formed of scientists pre-eminent in their fields. They decided that the Foundation would fund research projects only if they were of the “gold standard”. This has paid dividends and the Foundation has an impressisve folio of papers published in prestigious scientific journals.

The Foundation has continued to concentrate all its efforts on research.  Other groups offer excellent advice, information and support to sufferers so the Foundation in its occasional newsletters gives only information about its current research.  These newsletters are welcomed by people with CFS/ME and their families as they see scientists gradually unravelling the mysteries of the illness which will lead us through greater knowledge to the use of therapies and then a cure.

We are a founder member of the UK CFS/ME Research Collaborative (UK CMRC) which was launched in April 2013.  The Collaborative aims to bring together scientists and researchers with funding charities and support groups to galvanize research.

We are the only UK CFS/ME research charity to be a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and have been awarded, for the second consecutive year, their certificate of Best Practice In Medical and Health Research Peer Review.