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This
will be the
sixth annual Invest in ME international biomedical conference on ME/CFS.
The conference will be
held on
20th May
2011 in Westminster, London and
builds on the successful biomedical research conferences organised by Invest in ME in
previous years.
As in
previous years Invest in ME aim to raise awareness of the neurological illness
myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS). This conference will highlight the need for a national
strategy for biomedical research which will lead to treatment and a cure for
this devastating illness - an illness which is 5 times more common in the
UK than HIV/AIDS - yet which has had comparatively little funding spent on biomedical
research.
Our 2008 conference
in London focused on Sub Grouping and Treatments and
showed indisputable proof from leading ME/CFS experts regarding the pathology of
this illness.
Our 2009 conference concentrated on the severely-affected
people with ME.
Our 2010 conference concentrated on the
new era of ME/CFS research which had been created by awareness of the
XMRV retrovirus.
With the discovery
of the xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) retrovirus in patients with ME/CFS by the Whittemore-Peterson
Institute, the US National Cancer Institute and the Cleveland Clinic of Ohio
in 2009 we
publicised this major breakthrough in the understanding and treatment of ME/CFS and
in the implications in ME/CFS in our 2010 conference.
For 2011 the way forward
must be to focus on translational biomedical research into ME/CFS and this
means initiating clinical trials using homogeneous patient cohorts and correct clinical
guidelines.
Therefore our 2011 conference slogan is -
The Way Forward - A
Case for Clinical Trials
and the theme is
The Need for Guidelines, Treatments and Clinical Trials for ME/CFS
The education of healthcare staff about ME/CFS
now needs to break with the past and reflect the new found knowledge about
the pathogenesis of ME/CFS which high quality biomedical research is
providing.
The conference will be
oriented toward providing healthcare staff and others with knowledge of
the latest research and the biomarkers which allow appropriate treatments to
be prescribed.
However, apart from a
knowledge of the biomedical research which is ongoing it is necessary for
healthcare staff to be aware of the multiple symptoms exhibited by ME
patients and
of the possible treatments available.
Research data and experiences of treating ME/CFS will be presented as will
findings from the latest biomedical research. The time is right
for moving ahead with new findings and embarking on clinical
trials to enable rapid progress to be made with discovery of
effective treatments.
The presenters at the conference represent the world's most
current
ME/CFS knowledgebase regarding ME/CFS.
The conference provides
information and opportunities which are not available via the internet.
One of the
most important aspects at previous IiME conferences has been the creation or
resumption of the unique networking opportunities available with some
of the most renowned experts on ME/CFS in the
world.
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Who should attend?
The
conference will appeal to healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses,
paediatricians, occupational therapists, researchers, ME/CFS support groups, people
with ME/CFS and those working in social services, educational support and the media.
The conference provides an opportunity for people within
government, health departments, social services and education to be able to be
informed of the true nature of ME/CFS and of the current status of diagnosis,
treatment and current/future biomedical research possibilities.
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Conference
Registration
Registration will begin from 08.00 on 20th May
2011.
Morning and afternoon refreshments, and a hot lunch
will be included in the conference price.
A small quiet room
adjacent to the lecture theatre will be available for some who may wish to
rest.
The refreshment are
available as rest areas during the conference presentations. During lunch and breaks the
lecture theatre should also provide a quiet area to sit and relax.
Please note this conference is a
TICKET-ONLY event - tickets
must be purchased prior to the event.
Our conference registration page will be open shortly.
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Conference
Venue
The conference venue is
at One Birdcage Walk in
the heart of Westminster, London. The
conference will be held in the magnificent
Lecture Theatre of One Birdcage Walk.
The
conference will make the day an
opportunity to network with other healthcare professionals and
patient groups/charities.
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Sponsorship
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