France's national health insurer, Assurance Maladie, has officially recognised chronic fatigue syndrome as a disease, updating the condition's page on its website, Ameli.fr, on August 6, 2026.
The condition, known scientifically as myalgic encephalomyelitis, had previously been described by the insurer as a psychological disorder. It is now officially defined as a disease responsible for invalidating chronic exhaustion and for flare-ups triggered by minor exertion.
The change brings France in line with the international classification, which has placed myalgic encephalomyelitis among neurological conditions for several decades.
Difficult to diagnose
Chronic fatigue syndrome remains hard to diagnose. It can affect people of all ages, but women are disproportionately affected, particularly those who are menopausal, likely because of hormonal changes, according to the health platform Doctolib. People aged between 20 and 40 remain the most exposed to the condition.
Patients experience intense, lasting exhaustion that rest does not relieve. Symptoms vary, but typically include profound, invalidating fatigue that has lasted several months, has no clear explanation, and is not eased by rest or sleep. In some cases, patients also suffer malaise following physical exertion.
'It's in your head'
Patients have too often been told their symptoms were simply in their head. Advocacy groups including the Association francaise de l'encephalomyelite myalgique (Afemise) and Millions Missing France, which had described France's record on recognising the syndrome as worrying, welcomed the change. They said they hoped it would pave the way for better training for doctors and for genuine care pathways for patients.
Speaking on the radio station France Inter, Pietro Tome, president of Afemise, described the recognition of chronic fatigue as a disease as a major step forward for patients, who are regularly confronted with what he called the psychologisation of the illness. He said he rejected the notion that everything could be explained by a psychological problem, and that a bit of sport, effort and meditation would make patients feel much better.
No treatment exists
The exact causes of the disease remain unknown. Some abnormalities in the immune system may trigger the dysfunction behind the chronic fatigue, but this has not been scientifically proven. In most cases, the syndrome develops following an infection, an operation, exposure to toxic substances, or trauma. Among the infections experts link to the condition are herpes viruses, mononucleosis and coronavirus. No treatment currently exists to cure the disease.
What happens next
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, at least 200,000 adults in France were thought to be affected by the condition. That figure could now exceed 700,000, though no official national count has ever been established.
While the recognition marks a significant step, patients' next fight is to have the disease classified as an Affection de Longue Duree, France's long-term condition status, which would provide administrative and financial support in line with the disability it causes.
