Dr Derek Enlander contributed the following to a discussion of a clinical review of the assessment and management of insomnia in primary care published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal):

“We all agree that insomnia is a secondary symptom of Myalgic Encephalitis/ Chronic fatigue Syndrome ME/CFS. Indeed it is included in the Fukuda and Canadian Consensus criteria. However it should be noted that the debilitating fatigue seen in ME/CFS should not be solely attributed to insomnia.

It would be simple if not simplistic to treat ME/CFS with hypnotics, while certain sleep medicine do help, they are not “curative” of this devastating physical disease.”