Research Update
Fortunately, we have not lost any projects but have had to put work on hold at the height of the pandemic to allow researchers to help with the patient numbers in their NHS centres. In addition, one very valuable research resource, the Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC) has been closed to all but Covid research studies This is to be expected to make sure the research on Covid has the best facilities available and could proceed with haste. We will seek to pick up our valuable research into the origins and impact of fatigue in MS as soon as time and resources allow.
We have received several enquiries about research funding and hope to extend our reach and enable several new programmes of work to get started while we seek to return to normal funding activities and levels.
We will encourage researchers to look at how the pandemic has affected MS research and treatment in their location and to add their experiences and data to the international MS data collecting organisations across the world.
Although the disruption caused by Covid-19 has been extensive, we also believe that some of the new methods linked to producing new vaccines may well help to provide new ways of perceiving and treating MS and other immune system related illnesses.
We could have done without all the disruption and anxiety, but science is moving on and many difficult to treat conditions like MS may benefit in the longer term. If so, we want to be ready to help!