The Rantzen Report: M.E. - The Secret Epidemic (1996)

The Rantzen Report - M.E. : The Secret Epidemic (5th of August 1996) (Hosted by Esther Rantzen) Featuring Dr. Thomas Stuttaford, Jane Colby of TYMES Trust, Dr. Charles Shepherd of ME Association, Dr. William Weir, Dr. Sarah Myhill (Is conflating M.E. with Chronic Fatigue Syndromes?), Michelle Golding, Maria Golding, Barbara Proctor, Ean Proctor, Dr. Peter Sandon, Heather Mills https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00gtwyp Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) is characterised by a range of neurological symptoms and signs, including pain and exhaustion. Esther's daughter Emily suffers from the illness. At last, I have discovered the secret of Emily's 14 lost years, by Esther Rantzen - Daily Mail (15th Feb 2011) https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1356316/At-I-discovered-secret-Emilys-14-lost-years-Esther-Rantzen.html

Clip from The Rantzen Report (1996): Peter shares how, after developing M.E. as a child, he was misdiagnosed with "school phobia". Authorities threatened to take him into care, unless his parents sent him to school. Footage originally shared by Royal Free 1955 (RFH1955 on Twitter)

Clip from The Rantzen Report (1996): A widower shares the story of his wife Ellie, a nurse who lived with M.E. for six years. She was bedridden for four, and so ill she couldn’t see her daughter for the last three. Footage originally shared by Royal Free 1955 (RFH1955 on Twitter)

Clip from The Rantzen Report (1996): The parents of a boy with M.E. recall being wrongly accused of Fabricated or Induced Illness (then known as Munchausen Syndrome by proxy) - a rare condition where a parent is believed to cause, or fake a child’s illness. Footage originally shared by Royal Free 1955 (RFH1955 on Twitter)

Clip from The Rantzen Report (1996): Esther Rantzen shares Michelle’s story - a young girl with M.E. who was told her illness was “All In Her Mind” and subjected to appalling treatment, including being left on the floor and not helped when she sank to the bottom of a pool. Footage originally shared by Royal Free 1955 (@RFH1955 on Twitter)

Clip from The Rantzen Report (1996): Barbara Proctor, mother of Ean Proctor, shares how her son - severely ill with M.E. and unable to move or speak - was wrongly taken from their home by social workers who believed they were neglecting him. Footage originally shared by Royal Free 1955 (RFH1955 on Twitter) More info about Ean Proctor https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Ean_Proctor

Clip from The Rantzen Report (1996): Ean Proctor, who was severely ill with M.E. as a child, recalls being taken from his parents and held in hospital for six months, where he was subjected to appalling psychological treatment. Footage originally shared by Royal Free 1955 (RFH1955 on Twitter) More info about Ean Proctor https://me-pedia.org/wiki/Ean_Proctor

Video Clip from The Rantzen Report (1996) episode: M.E.: The Secret Epidemic BBC Programmes https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00gtwyp Jane Colby, of Tymes Trust, describes how M.E. suddenly left her unable to speak, hypersensitive to light and sound, and without power in her muscles. Dr. Thomas Stuttaford, OBE (Should have this honour posthumously removed from him) tries to argue that patients don’t understand that it’s just depression - an all-too-familiar dismissal for many with M.E. Thomas Stuttaford (Likely a corrupt Private Insurance Industry paid doctor, sent to the show to MISLEAD on purpose) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Stuttaford

Highlights from The Rantzen Report (1996): Dr. Thomas Stuttaford claims M.E. is "a kind of depression” and says many patients improve with antidepressants. Dr Charles Shepherd cites evidence that most patients are not depressed, when assessed by psychiatrists, and that the only recent controlled trial of antidepressants failed to show any benefit. Footage originally shared by Royal Free 1955 (RFH1955 on Twitter)

Clip from The Rantzen Report (1996) Esther Rantzen speaks about her daughter’s M.E. diagnosis and the thousands of letters she received from distressed patients and their families. Footage originally shared by Royal Free 1955 (@RFH1955 on Twitter)