A new film from @anilvanderzee. Made in The Netherlands and with English subtitles.

"In this film, five medical doctors open up about living with #PAIS / #IACC conditions like ME, #longCOVID, and chronic #Lyme.”

"They speak candidly about their experiences with illness, what they were taught (or not taught) in medical school, and how that shaped their own treatment decisions—sometimes even leading to harm. They reflect on how becoming patients themselves radically changed their views on medicine, science, and what needs to change in healthcare. It’s raw, honest, and incredibly insightful—for medical professionals, researchers, politicians, and patients alike.”

It's already had over 6000 views in less than a day, which should inform decision makers of the urgent demand required of #medicine to take conditions like #MECFS seriously, professionally and ethically.

https://youtu.be/J0ywwLIfH_w

In a Compelling Documentary, Five Doctors Discuss Being Sick

By David Tuller, DrPH

*This is a crowdfunding period at University of California, Berkeley. If you appreciate my work and would like to make a donation (tax-deductible to US taxpayers) to the university in support of my position, here’s the link: https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/46120

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I first connected with Anil van der Zee, a severe ME patient in Amsterdam, when he reached out almost ten years ago to invite me to talk at an event he was organizing in Amsterdam. In his former life, Anil was a ballet dancer. Now, from his bed, he creates compelling and often visually stunning videos about various aspects of life with ME, and related issues.

In this new documentary, Anil talks with five doctors about living with ME and other chronic illnesses–and about how their personal experiences have altered their perspectives on the medical field and the provision of health care. I have posted it below, along with Anil’s introduction. (I wrote a story about doctors with Long Covid for Codastory.com in 2022.)

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Doctors as Patients…Anil van der Zee

In this film, five medical doctors open up about living with #PAIS/#IACC, conditions like ME, #longCOVID, and chronic #Lyme. It’s a format that I believe has never been shown before, not just in the Netherlands but possibly worldwide!

They speak candidly about their experiences with illness, what they were taught (or not taught) in medical school, and how that shaped their own treatment decisions—sometimes even leading to harm. They reflect on how becoming patients themselves radically changed their views on medicine, science, and what needs to change in healthcare. It’s raw, honest, and incredibly insightful—for medical professionals, researchers, politicians, and patients alike.

This project was a true labor of love. We had zero budget. Three amazing cameramen, a few behind-the-scenes heroes, the MDs themselves, and those from the community who shared material for the film—all volunteered their time and energy. It wasn’t easy: illness and #PEM often got in the way, but we somehow made it.

We’re amateur filmmakers (and I’m definitely the biggest one!), so don’t expect a slick Hollywood production. The real professionals here are the doctors—whose powerful voices, shaped by both medical training and lived experience, definitely need to be heard.

I invite you to watch, leave a like, drop a comment on YouTube to help boost the algorithm, and share it far and wide. This is more than a film—it’s a message the world needs to hear and see!!!

Their stories will hopefully change how you think about medicine—don’t miss it. Watch it, feel it, and let it shift your perspective, especially now that PAIS/IACC conditions have become an even more urgent health issue since the pandemic. Their voices matter more than ever!

The film has English and Dutch subtitles. If you want to translate it to another language let me know.

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(View the original post at virology.ws)

#anilVanDerZee #LongCovid #Lyme #PAIS #PEM