Gordon Brown Welcomes MS Experts To London

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 20 Jun 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Gordon Brown MP said: "I would like to welcome delegates to the MS Society's Frontiers research conference in London. Multiple sclerosis is a devastating condition and it is vital that the UK plays a lead in promoting high quality research in a bid to improve our understanding of the disease. People with MS, their families and carers greatly value your efforts."

Frontiers is a two-day event bringing together MS researchers from across the world. Questions up for discussion include possible causes of MS, why it varies so much in geographical impact (MS is twice as common in Scotland as in England, for example) and the origins of the condition. Experts will look into the potential of cutting edge treatments like stem cell therapy, risks involved in more aggressive treatments, and a range of possible rehabilitation approaches to tackle MS.

MS Society chief executive Simon Gillespie, who opens the event today, said: "Research offers the greatest hope of beating MS, which is our vision as a charity. We have more than £14 million invested in projects across the UK trying to figure out what causes this appalling condition, and looking at how we can fight its symptoms in the here and now.

"MS Frontiers brings together some of the best brains in the research business so that they can share ideas, challenge one another and push forward the MS research agenda.

"The MS Society is doubling its research spending over the next year and we want the research community to be in no doubt that we are 100% behind them. We welcome Gordon Brown's support."

This year's Frontiers features 28 international speakers, including representatives from the USA, Australia and Canada. This year's keynote presentation on the future of MS therapies is by Professor Larry Steinman MD of Stanford University.

The debates, outcomes and new directions that emerge from Frontiers will be made available shortly on this website and through MS Matters, our membership magazine.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

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