Failed by the NHS on chronic fatigue illness | Letters

Prof Paul Garner, Dr Maria Pedersen and Dr Alastair Miller, plus two other readers, respond to Patrick Barkham’s article on his daughter’s Lyme disease diagnosis

Milly’s chronic fatigue illness, outlined by her father, Patrick Barkham, is heartbreaking (As my daughter got sicker and sicker, our quest for answers dragged on. How did we all miss the bacteria taking over her body?, 28, September). Patrick says he feels guilty, but he is not to blame: the NHS has failed them.

In the absence of clear explanations and effective solutions, it is entirely understandable that families may turn to a variety of for-profit, fringe medicine options. While Patrick’s faith and optimism may indeed help Milly recover, there is no reliable evidence linking a chronic Borrelia infection to her symptoms; and the effectiveness of long-term antibiotics has not been demonstrated.