FORT LAUDERDALE, FL and DAVIE, FL--(Marketwired - October 19, 2016) - Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), sometimes referred to as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a mysterious, debilitating and misunderstood disease that affects an estimated 1 million Americans, will be the focus of an international conference on October 27-30, 2016. The biennial meeting targeting researchers, clinicians, patients and others impacted by CFS/ME, will be held at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The conference is organized by the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (IACFS/ME). Fort Lauderdale-based Nova Southeastern University (NSU), home of the world-renowned Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, is the host institution for the biennial conference.

Hundreds of scientists and clinicians will discuss and debate the characteristics of this illness, its relationship to other illnesses such as fibromyalgia, and the best ways to diagnose and treat it. A portion of the conference is devoted to patients and their families wanting to learn more about the latest discoveries in this field.

Sessions will highlight advances in many areas, including brain abnormalities, post-exertional exacerbation of symptoms, fatigue, sleep, pain, immune system defects, viruses, pediatric cases and potential treatments.

Highlights of the conference include:

• Alison Bested, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Canada: speaking on how to diagnose and treat CFS/ME and multiple chemical sensitivities
• Nancy Klimas, M.D., director, NSU Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, professor and chair of the Department of Clinical Immunology, NSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, USA: moderating a panel of clinicians addressing difficult clinical cases
• Vicky Whittemore, Ph.D., program director, Synapses, Channels and Neural Circuits Cluster, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and NIH staff, USA: discussing renewed CFS/ME research program and secrets to getting research funded
• Øystein Fluge, M.D., Ph.D., senior consultant, and Olav Mella, M.D., Ph.D., professor, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway: giving the latest updates on their trials of rituximab as a disease-modifying treatment for CFS/ME
• A day-long series of talks aimed at patients and their caregivers: hear from national and international experts. The public is also welcome to attend all four days of the conference.

The conference will be held at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort located at 321 N. Lauderdale Florida, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. For additional information about the conference and to register, visit: www.iacfsme.org.

Additionally, host institution Nova Southeastern University's Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine is holding a pre-conference seminar on Wednesday, October 26 at 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. focusing on "Complex Neuro Inflammatory Conditions: Gulf War Illness (GWI) and CFS/ME." The seminar will include a panel discussion of leaders from the Centers for Disease Control, National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Open Medicine Foundation to examine the power of collaboration in understanding these complex medical conditions. Separate registration is required. Click here for more information.

About CFS/ME
Recognized for over 30 years, CFS/ME afflicts people of all ages, races and economic levels. Women make up about 75 percent of the patients. Since identification requires exclusion of other diseases and conditions, CFS/ME eludes quick diagnosis. Patients often are misdiagnosed leaving both them and their physicians frustrated and baffled. Research has been hampered by an imprecise case definition, lengthy diagnosis period and lack of funding. Currently there exists no disease-modifying treatments for CFS/ME. According to a 2008 DePaul University study, CFS/ME drains $18-24 billion annually from the U.S. economy due to lost work productivity, lost tax revenue, and health care expenditures.

About IACFS/ME
Founded in 1990, the IACFS/ME is a multidisciplinary non-profit organization of scientist, clinicians, patients, advocates and educators dedicated to the study and care of individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, fibromyalgia, and related conditions. In addition to organizing biennial scientific conferences, IACFS/ME publishes a peer-reviewed journal (Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health, and Behavior); distributes a newsletter three times a year; advises national and international health groups; and advocates for sound health care policies backed by the latest science. For more information, visit www.iacfsme.org.

About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): Located in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional degree levels. A private, not-for-profit institution, NSU has campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, while maintaining a presence online globally. For more than 50 years, NSU has been awarding degrees in a wide range of fields, while fostering groundbreaking research and an impactful commitment to community. Classified as a research university with "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is 1 of only 50 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie's Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private, not-for-profit institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education's criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit www.nova.edu for more information about NSU and realizingpotential.nova.edu for more information on the largest fundraising campaign in NSU history.

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