Vink, Mark, Vink-Niese, Alexandra · Health psychology open · 2018 · DOI
This analysis reviewed a major trial called FatiGo that compared two treatment approaches for ME/CFS: multidisciplinary rehabilitation (combining physical therapy, psychology, and other treatments) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). While the original FatiGo trial claimed both treatments were effective, this review found serious problems with how the study was conducted and concluded that the evidence does not actually support these claims.
This analysis is important because it challenges the validity of a widely-cited trial that has influenced ME/CFS treatment recommendations. Identifying methodological flaws helps ensure that treatment decisions for ME/CFS patients are based on robust evidence rather than potentially misleading conclusions, particularly regarding rehabilitation approaches that some patients report as harmful.
This review does not prove that multidisciplinary rehabilitation or CBT are ineffective across all contexts or patient populations. Rather, it specifically critiques the FatiGo trial's design and interpretation, and does not provide new primary research data on ME/CFS treatment efficacy. The analysis focuses on methodological validity rather than establishing alternative evidence-based treatments.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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Primary citation
Vink, Mark & Vink-Niese, Alexandra (2018). Multidisciplinary rehabilitation treatment is not effective for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A review of the FatiGo trial.. Health psychology open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102918792648
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-vink-2018-multidisciplinary-rehabilitation,
author = {Vink, Mark and Vink-Niese, Alexandra},
title = {Multidisciplinary rehabilitation treatment is not effective for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A review of the FatiGo trial.},
journal = {Health psychology open},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1177/2055102918792648},
note = {PubMed: 30094055},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/vink-2018-multidisciplinary-rehabilitation},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-28. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/vink-2018-multidisciplinary-rehabilitation
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