I'm excited to let you know that I am reporting on the 2012 annual conference of the European Treatment and Research In Multiple Sclerosis. The meeting is being held this year in Lyon, France from October 10th through the 13th. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society invited me to cover the conference, and they will be posting the blogs I write on their website.
I'll be reporting on a variety of MS-related topics, including relapses and disability accumulation, risk factors for MS, the impact of MS on social cognition, news on CCSVI and progression to secondary MS. For an overview of ECTRIMS 2012 (including the abstracts of the presentations and posters) go to Scientific Programme on the ECTRIMS 2012 website and click on the links to the various days.
Let me know if you see anything particularly interesting in the ECTRIMS scientific program this year that you would like me to check out (I'll do my best) in the comments section below. Please do check out the NMSS blog and leave a comment.
Would be interested to know what you think of the session on Saturday:
Natalizumab treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis reduces inflammation and tissue damage – results of a phase 2A proof-of-concept study
I was not able to access the teaching modules as id and password was not known. I’m especially interested in controversies in the natural history of ms.
Having personally had improvements following CCSVI venoplasty, I am interested in the entirety of the two CCSVI poster sessions. Are any of the doctors who are doing the procedure presenting?
Regarding the ECTRIMS 2012 discussion(s), I would like for you to report back to us on the following topics:
1) Tissue Repair- Is this possible? or it still science fiction-light years away?
2) More info on the once daily Fingolimod pill- Is it ready / are we ready to take it?
3) Genzyme- will it be used with other disease modifiers?
4) Stem Cell transplant- How far are we away from making this a safe reality?
5) Use of the Tesla MRI’s- What can it do that regular MRI’s can’t?
6) MS and Infections: Why would having Helicobacter pylori infection provide a protective barrier when other infections cause problems with MS patients? I always thought any infection could cause a relapse.
7) Brain Sodium (Thursday’s topic) overloads- Would it be possible to consider a treatment using a modified ‘calcium channel blocker’ similar to that used for high blood pressure?