The rush of donations continued in the last day, and it seems likely the goal will soon be reached. Perhaps it had to do with the "Michael Sharpe crowdfunding effect," which I posted about yesterday, 

Thanks to all for the generous support! Any extra funds will help to defray travel and other costs related to the Trial By Error project. If you still are looking to make a donation, here's the link: 

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/42302

PLEASE DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW. THAT GOES TO A PREVIOUS AND COMPLETED CAMPAIGN.

Dear Past Supporter of Trial By Error:

We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in the approach to long-term sequelae after an acute infection, as two colleagues and I explained in a recent essay in Health Affairs, a leading health policy journal. My work has played a role in catalyzing that paradigm shift, and I'm not ready to stop just yet.

To donate to the current campaign, please use this link:  

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/40018

DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! THAT'S A DEFAULT LINK THAT GOES TO A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN.

Thanks much!--David

This week I've posted two blogs--here and here--about goings-on in the Netherlands regarding funding for ME/CFS research, including the decision to award a big grant for biomedical investigations to a leading professor of psychosomatic medicine. Hm.

TO DONATE TO THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN, PLEASE USE THIS LINK:

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/37217

DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! THAT'S A DEFAULT LINK THAT GOES TO A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN.

Thanks much for the support!--David

Right now, there are close to 250 donations--about half the average total. As. usual, the most donations--90--have come from the UK, followed by 60 from the US and 23 from Norway and 18 from Australia. 

TO DONATE TO THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN, PLEASE USE THIS LINK:

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/37217

DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! THAT'S A DEFAULT LINK THAT GOES TO A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN

Thanks much for your support!--David

Thanks much for your past support of my Trial By Error project. I am always amazed at the generosity of patients and carers (and interested others). If you are interesting in donating to this month's campaign, here's the link:

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/37217

Besides dozens of blog posts, here are some other highlights of my work since the last crowdfunding: 

*An investigation into the death of 27-year-old Maeve O’Neill in Exeter, England, in October, 2021, from complications of ME, after conflicts with health care authorities over whether she should be tube-fed. Not long after the article was published by Codastory.com, advocates highlighted two other similar ongoing cases in England, which I wrote about here.

*An article in the peer-reviewed journal Work (co-authored with Mark Vink) about the lack of evidence that cognitive behavior therapy and graded exercise therapy lead to any benefits in the realm of employment. The CBT/GET ideological brigades have routinely argued otherwise but we documented in our paper that their claims are unfounded.

*Reported on the results of the UK’s Health Research Authority’s latest look into the work of Professor Esther Crawley, Bristol University’s methodologically and ethically challenged grant magnet. Specifically, Professor Crawley had been ordered a few years ago--based on a complaint I filed with the HRA--to correct the ethics statements in eleven of her papers. As I pointed out to the HRA last fall, most had not been corrected.

**********

Again,,here's the link: https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/37217

TO DONATE TO THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN, PLEASE USE THE ABOVE LINK!

(DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! That default button is automatically included in this message and will take you to a previously completed campaign--not to the page for donating now.)

Thanks much for your support!--David

This month's crowdfunder ends in 23 hours. It does appear that the goal will be reached. Any funds received beyond that will be used to cover travel expenses--like coming to the UK or wherever I'm invited to give talks, conduct interviews, etc. (Here, for example, is the link to my talk at Cambridge earlier this month, which has already had more than 300 views.)

If you would still like to donate, here's the link:

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/33528

PLEASE USE THE ABOVE LINK! DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! That default button is automatically included in this message and will take you to a previously completed campaign--not to the page for donating now.

Thanks much for your support!--David

With a few days left in the month, the crowdfunder is closing in on 90% of the goal, with 450 donations! It would be great to get to 500 donations in the last few days. Many of you have already donated--thank you! I have definitely done my best to provide an excellent return-on-investment over the years.

For those who have not given and still feel inclined, here's the link:

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/33528 

TO DONATE TO THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN, PLEASE USE THE ABOVE LINK!

(DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! That default button is automatically included in this message and will take you to a previously completed campaign--not to the page for donating now.)

Thanks much for your support!--David

Many readers are aware I've been trying to find out why Professor Crawley, Bristol University's methodologically and ethically challenged grant magnet, did not correct seven of the 11 papers she was asked to fix by a joint report from her university and the UK's Health Research Authority. Now we have Bristol's answer, as I note in today's post: It's all the journals fault because they did not make the requested corrections! Unfortunately, Bristol could provide no evidence of correspondence to back up its questionable claims.

In the meantime, Berkeley's October crowdfunder has reached 69% of the goal, with six days remaining. If you'd like to support my continuing efforts to debunk poor science, please consider a donation for this round. 

Here's the link:

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/33528

TO DONATE TO THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN, PLEASE USE THE ABOVE LINK!

(DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! That default button is automatically included in this message and will take you to a previously completed campaign--not to the page for donating now.)

Thanks much for your support!--David

I've gone to great lengths to disseminate important information! That's why a few months ago I appeared on "Tub Talks with Damon," a video series hosted by my friend Damon Jacobs, a New York therapist and safe sex advocate. We discussed ME/CFS, long Covid, living through the AIDS epidemic in the 80s as a young gay man, my feelings about my chest hair, and other stuff.

If you'd like to help me continue my efforts to debunk poor science, please consider supporting my project again this month. Donations are tax-deductible in the US and (I've been told) in Canada. Here's the link:

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/33528

TO DONATE TO THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN, PLEASE USE THE ABOVE LINK!

(DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! That default button is automatically included in this message and will take you to a previously completed campaign--not to the page for donating now.)

Thanks much for your support!--David

Dear supporter--

This week, I posted a Q-and-A of an interview with Mt Sinai's David Putrino about long Covid, ME/CFS, and lazy doctors. (I'd previously posted the video.) Dr Putrino has been a leader in providing care for long Covid patients and pushing back against the claims of the ideological brigades. I also posted an update about the shenanigans of Professor Esther Crawley, Bristol University's methodologically and ethically challenged pediatrician and grant magnet, and a round-up of recent articles I've read.

The current crowdfunder has reached 15% of the goal. If you'd like to help me continue my work pressing for decent science and pushing back against nonsense, please consider supporting my project again this month. Donations are tax-deductible in the US and (I've been told) in Canada. Here is the link:

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/33528

TO DONATE TO THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN, PLEASE USE THE ABOVE LINK!

(DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! That default button is automatically included in this message and will take you to a previously completed campaign--not to the page for donating now.)

Thanks much for your support!--David

To Supporters of Trial By Error: 

Thanks so much for your past support. October, like April, is a crowdfunding month at Berkeley. I still have work to do, so I am seeking funding to support my project from January through June of next year. If you'd like to donate again (tax-deductible in US and Canada), here's the link:

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/33528

TO DONATE TO THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN, PLEASE USE THE ABOVE LINK!

(DO NOT CLICK ON THE "READ UPDATE" BUTTON BELOW! That default button is automatically included in this message and will take you to a previously completed campaign--not to the page for donating now.)

Thanks much for your support!--David

The April crowdfunder has ended, with the goal reached. Thanks so much for your support--it means a lot to me to be able to continue Trial By Error during the next academic year. 

As I'd previously said, I had thought about ending the project this year, given the release last fall of the new ME/CFS guidelines from the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. But it has become clear with long Covid that those pushing bogus and non-evidence-based therapies for ME/CFS are continuing their anti-scientific campaigning. So I'll press on for a while longer.

I have tried over the years to provide a good return on the investment, and I hope to do so again as the project moves ahead. Thanks again!--David