Proof-of-Concept ME/CFS Blood Test Shows 96% Accuracy

Researchers at the University of East Anglia and Oxford BioDynamics report a proof-of-concept blood test for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) using Oxford BioDynamics' EpiSwitch 3D Genomics to detect distinctive epigenetic DNA-folding patterns. In a study of 47 people with severe ME and 61 healthy controls they report roughly 96% overall accuracy (about 92% sensitivity and 98% specificity). The team says the test could shorten long diagnostic delays, improve management, and might be adaptable to diagnosing long COVID. Multiple experts cautioned the findings come from a small study and accused the authors of overhyping the results, stressing the need for independent validation and larger clinical trials before routine or private clinical use.