Chronic fatigue syndrome
Annette Whittemore, co-founder and president of the institute, stated that the inspiration for the institute came from her daughter, Andrea Whittemore-Goad, who was diagnosed with Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) at the age of twelve. Whittemore stated that numerous doctors were unable to help her daughter, and that the first major improvement came ten years after her diagnosis when she was treated by Peterson with the experimental antiviral drug Ampligen. Hemispherx's new drug application for Ampligen, which permits sale and marketing, was rejected by the FDA in December 2009 and the agency asked for another clinical study. Interviewed by "The New York Times," Whittemore said that "she had long believed that the syndrome was an infectious disease, but that scientists had rejected the idea", and decided that, "if there was a place of our own where we could find the answers, we could do it more quickly." Her husband Harvey said that his wife also wanted to recognize Peterson for his history of treating the illness since 1984.