COMING SOON — CLINICAL GUIDE
The Defiant Doctor's Guide to Complex Chronic Fatigue
A practical framework for ME/CFS and Long COVID. Written for primary care physicians determined to offer these patients hope.
By Katie Brown, MD & Maeve Sherry, BS
91%
of US ME/CFS patients remain undiagnosed or misdianosed
<1%
of commensurate NIH funding ME/CFS receives relative to its disability burden
75%
of patients are unable to maintain employment
50%
of Long COVID patients meet diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS
ABOUT THE BOOK
A framework your patients have been waiting for you to find.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long COVID patients are among the most underserved in primary care — not because clinicians don't care, but because the medical establishment has systematically failed to provide the tools to help them.
This guide changes that. Written by a family physician with lived experience of ME/CFS herself, The Defiant Doctor's Guide delivers a modular, evidence-grounded framework that takes clinicians step-by-step through diagnosis and management of this complex condition.
Dispels common myths that discourage physicians from engaging with ME/CFS patients
Provides a clear, modular diagnostic and management framework for the generalist
Addresses the unique opportunity for Direct Primary Care physicians to serve this neglected population
Empowers you to feel knowledgeable, effective, and genuinely helpful to you most complex patients
Includes practical guidance applicable in real-world clinical settings
The scale of what's been ignored
5.2x
More NIH funding per year of disability for male-predominant conditions vs. conditions like ME/CFS
25%
of ME/CFS patients are housebound or bedbound — yet rarely appear in clinical settings
<20%
of patients with ME/CFS are able to work full-time
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
The pandemic changed everything.
This book helps you respond.
Severity that demands attention
Patients with ME/CFS report lower quality of life and higher functional impairment than those with MS, RA, heart disease, stroke, or some forms of cancer.
A diagnostic blind spot
Despite affecting millions, no specialty has taken ownership of ME/CFS. No residents are being trained how to treat these patients. Primary care physicians are responsible for these patients.
Post-COVID surge
Roughly 50% of Long COVID patients meet diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. The prevalence of this condition has doubled in the wake of the pandemic.
THE AUTHORS
Written from the inside out.
Katie Brown, MD
FAMILY PHYSICIAN & AUTHOR
Dr. Brown completed her family medicine residency in 2023 and immediately opened her own direct primary care clinic, focusing on the treatment of ME/CFS patients. She became interested in ME/CFS after developing the illness herself in her first year of medical school. Her clinical training and lived experience together form the foundation of this practical guide, driven by a passion for teaching other family doctors how to truly help a highly neglected patient population.
Maeve Sherry, BS
LIVED EXPERIENCE EXPERT & CO-AUTHOR
Maeve Sherry brings personal lived experience with recovering from ME/CFS alongside a background in the sciences and research. Their perspective as a former patient and researcher shapes the book's commitment to accuracy, compassion, and real-world relevance. Maeve's contributions help to bring the book into being with down-to-earth writing and a critical eye for accurate facts backed by the latest science.
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A practical guide for clinicians ready to defy the status quo.