The MS QuDos awards are a joint venture by the MS Trust and the pharmaceutical industry to recognise excellence in various categories of MS treatment. The award for outstanding Allied Health Professional (AHP) is open to any UK professional treating MS who is not an MS nurse or doctor. This year it was won by Tania Burge. Tania is the physiotherapist who has been running the MS rehabilitation services at the Bristol and Avon MS Clinical Unit (BrAMS) in Bristol for over 8 years. Tania’s award was in recognition of her outstanding efforts to provide high quality, innovative services for people who have MS in the Bristol area.

Real World Evidence for improving services in MS is a newly created category within the QuDos framework seeking to advance the delivery of services based on successful research programmes delivered in real-world settings.

TOPS MS stands for Therapeutic Opportunities in MS and the TOPS Team is a collaboration between clinical and research MS specialists, exercise scientists, Orthotists and other professionals in Bristol. TOPS clinical and research therapists deliver specialist services to assist mobility, balance and fatigue with the aim of maintaining function, fitness and wellbeing for people with MS. Funded in part by MS Research the team combines research and clinical experience to offer an integrated services based on a range of therapeutic opportunities according to need for individuals who have MS at community and NHS locations, promoting long-term symptom self-management.

The festive season is upon us once more and MS Research would like to take this opportunity to thanks all of the wonderful people who have helped and supported us in so many ways this year, whether it has been fund raising through hard work and sponsorship, donating your time and money or helping us raise our profile and awareness of MS by passing on your knowledge.

Our office will be closed from the 22nd December until the 2nd January 2018.

We thank you very much and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The New Year has started with high-profile announcements regarding the new drugs in the pipeline for MS. Several such developments were announced at the recent ECTRIMS and ACTRIMS (respectively: European and Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in MS) meetings.

In 2018 we look forward to following their progression through the various stages needed to show the efficacy and safety of new medicines. Many MS Drug watchers will know that such announcements do not always lead to a new drug being effective, safe or marketed in Europe, but it is good to know that the whole field of drug development for MS is alive and very active!