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AN OFFICIAL inquiry has been demanded into concerns about the high level of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome on the Western Isles following revelations about links between organo-phosphates, used in sheep dips and other similar products, and Gulf War syndrome.
Western Isles MP Calum Macdonald has tabled a Commons question to Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell about the level of CFS, also known as Mylagic Encephalitis, on the Islands where it is believed to be four times more common than on the mainland.
And the local M.E. Association Support Group is organising a public meeting next week in Stornoway when experts can be asked questions about the problems.
A spokesperson for the group said they were very relieved that Mr MacDonald was bringing the subject of organo-phosphates and M.E. to the government and public attention.
"It is to his credit that he knows his constituents well enough to know many who are seriously affected by ME/CFS, have experience of OP sheep dips and that he is aware that OPs are thought to be implicated in the onset of ME/CFS," she said.
Dr Charles Shepherd, Medical Director of the M.E. Association visited the Islands in 1995 and talked with crofters who were heavily involved with dipping before the onset of their M.E. He said: "We know that high doses of OP can kill, but we need more research into what low doses are doing over the long term. It may cause genetic damage and damage to the immune system hence the symptoms of M.E."
Mr Macdonald said that he had pointed out that because of the communal nature of crofting, many people were involved in activities like sheep-dipping, far more than the few employees of large-scale mainland farms. This meant that far more people could have been affected by OP dips.
The compulsory use of these dips ended three years ago, but the Government should be held responsible for any side-effects from before that. In addition, because of the spread of sheep scab, there was now a responsibility for local councils to enforce dipping, but there was too little work being done on none-OP dips.
There has been concern for many years about crofters and farmers throughout the UK who have suffered debilitating symptoms, similar to severe ME/CFS, which they have blamed on exposure to sheep dip prior to the use of protective clothing. The latest row erupted after the Government was forced to admit that OPs had been present in the Gulf War theatre and could therefore be to blame for the very similar debilitating symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome.
The local ME association spokesperson said: "We agree with Calum MacDonald that research is badly needed together with financial and administrative support for the M.E. Association's network. We are an Association mainly run by people with M.E. supporting those affected.
"We find ourselves in a Catch-22 situation. Whenever we are successful in stating our case, the requests for information and support increase (this week alone there have been four new requests for advice to our local group) and the same few people shoulder a larger workload. Hopefully, now that the existence and severity of ME/CFS is officially recognised, people will feel able to offer their help with more confidence."
The M.E. Association began 21 years ago this year but it was not until October last year that the Report of the Royal Colleges of Medicine which had been commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer, finally stated that CFS/M.E. existed and was a serious and debilitating condition.
The group said: "It may be worth noting that, while in 1995 the US government spent $11 .8 million on a wide range of research into CFS, the UK government funding was a paltry £90,000 which predictably was directed towards the psychiatric aspects of chronic fatigue - chronic fatigue is not M.E."
Dr Anne Maclntyre, Medical Adviser to the M.E. Association is to visit Stornoway next week. She, together with Lochmaddy GP Dr John MacLeod will talk to an invited medical professional audience on Wednesday 12th March. Dr Macleod will be talking on "Louping Ill", another debilitating illness which has affected five or six people on the Islands in the last few years, and is caused by the transfer of a disease from sheep or deer.
Dr Macintyre will also talk to the local M.E. Association on Thursday 13th March at 7pm in the Western Isles Hospital Education Unit to which the public are invited. Dr Maclntyre's talk on Thursday will cover the current understanding of ME/CFS including the OP connection. After the coffee break, Dr Maclntyre will answer written questions from the audience.
For further information about the local group and its activities contact Ann Campbell, local group organiser. 01851 - 820647.
Original article Stornoway Gazette Mar 08 1997.
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