On this page you will find a classification system to assess the scientific value (relevance) of a CFS research project.
[IDENTIFY]   CFS Science Classification System (CSCS).

In Table 1, you will find 6 classes. Check which classes are present in a specific CFS research project (paper, research proposal, web site text), add the number of points corresponding to these classes, and then find the scientific value of the CFS research project from Table 2.


Table 1. CFS Science Classification System: Classes.

Points Class
A: Negative research (subjective, non-reproducable)
-2 Quackery topics
  • Acclydine, Omega-3
  • Commercial papers, tests, and therapies
  • Imaginary infectious agents (stealth virus, new kinds of mycoplasmae)
  • Psychoneuroimmunology
  • References to quack journals
  • Unvalidated tests and markers

  • -1 Pseudo topics
  • Allergies, intolerances, poisoning
  • Non-active substances
  • Nutritional supplements
  • Unaccredited tests and markers

  • B: Neutral research (objective, non-reproducable)
    0 Irrelevant topics
  • Age, body mass index, costs, education, marital state, mortality, sex
  • Alternate names
  • Anecdotal evidence
  • Belief system related topics
  • Modern maladies, hysteria, neurasthenia, CF vs. CFS, CFS vs. ME
  • Multi-system diseases
  • Social/psychologic explanations, functional somatic symptoms vs. organic disease

  • C: Positive research (objective, reproducable)
    1 Inventarisation topics
  • Coping, pacing, CBT, GET
  • Debunking research myths, falsification of previous findings
  • Epidemiology (incidence, prevalence, criteria)
  • Questionnaires
  • Symptomology

  • 2 Indirect topics
  • Active substances
  • Immunology
  • Infectious agents, microbiology
  • Accredited/validated tests and markers

  • 3 Direct topics
  • Autopsy, postmortem examination, pathology
  • Biopsies
  • Cellular medicine, subcellular biology, genetics
  • Health check-up



  • Table 2. CFS Science Classification System: Interpretation.

    Points Interpretation
    -3, -2 Pseudo science (quackery)
  • All in the mind
  • Fad disease
  • Scientific research misconduct

  • -1 Poor science
  • Life style related findings

  • 0 Popular science
  • Patient related findings

  • 1 Student science
  • Findings that ain't new

  • 2, 3 Low profile science
  • Pilot studies
  • Pioneer projects

  • 4, 5, 6 Standard science
  • Clinical research and trials
  • Fundamental mechanisms
  • Review papers, meta-analyses
  • State of the art research



  • Remarks.
  • Findings ain't static, nor are interpretations.
  • If the findings turn out to be wrong, this doesn't mean that the research project wasn't scientific.
  • Therefore, we must discriminate between the initial interpretation (which in fact is static) and the present day interpretation (dynamic).

  • [INFO]   Additional information.
  • You might also be interested in the topics below.
  • CFS belief systems
  • CFS literature
  • CFS quackery