Free entry to the patients’ session at the Research Collaborative conference – thanks to the MRC

June 16, 2014


The ME Association have welcomed the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) decision to fund the patients' session at the UK CFS/M.E. Research Collaborative conference in Bristol in September.

The publicly-funded Government agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research, is sponsoring the conference. As part of its commitment to enhancing collaboration and engagement between key partners, such as patients and researchers, it is also supporting the patients’ session.

This means that people with ME/CFS will no longer have to pay for a ticket to attend the event. Those who have already paid for their ticket will be refunded. The MRC is not able to cover transport or accommodation costs.

The patients' session at the conference – which is being held at Wills Hall in Stoke Bishop, Bristol, on September 1 and 2 – takes place on the afternoon of Monday, 1 September and will bring together leading researchers and people with ME/CFS in a workshop aimed at identifying ways of involving patients in research projects.

The patients' session will also see all of the conference’s international array of keynote speakers – Prof Robert Dantzer, MD of the Anderson Cancer Centre, Prof Andrew Lloyd of University of New South Wales, Sydney, and Prof Ian Lipkin of Columbia University, New York and MRC-funded research project leads – each give a brief presentation followed by a panel discussion and question and answer session.

You can read more about the programme HERE.

The MRC said:

“We have been keen to bring together charities and researchers in this area, which is why we supported the setting up of the UK CFS/M.E. Research Collaborative. The MRC hopes that the patients’ session at this conference will be beneficial to those trying to take the field further – both patients and researchers.”

Dr Charles Shepherd, medical adviser to the ME Association who is a member of the executive board of the Research Collaborative, commented:

“This is good news. It means we no longer have to make a charge to patients who want to attend – the Monday afternoon patient session is now free and anyone who has already paid will received a rebate.”

To attend the patients' session you must be a researcher or research/medical student attending the main conference or an Associate Member of the CMRC. Find out how to become an Associate Member, which is free.

If you are an active researcher or research/medical student, you do not need to book this session separately. You can find details of booking attendance at the conference at www.cmrcsmart.eventzilla.net

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