Journal of IiME Volume 2 Issue 1 www.investinme.org From the Chairman of Invest in ME Previous IiME Conference Comments “The conference was so fantastic. I now feel fully armed to battle in ignorance about this disease in Denmark. How can any doctor look at the facts and doubt it is a physical disease”- R “Just wanted to congratulate you on an excellent conference last week. It was great to see so many of the leading researchers into ME all in one room, and all pulling in the same direction.”- C “I enjoyed participating enormously and think the whole conference was a great success” - Dr S “It was great to see so many familiar faces, both amongst the audience and the presenters, and as you rightly say, the information conveyed was amazing and exciting. “ - D A very good venue too, I noticed others remarked on what a pleasant environment, the term 'the organisers did us proud' came to mind – N Thank you very much for all the time and effort that the IiME team generously gives, voluntarily, to the ME community. This great effort has ensured that the 2007 Conference was a great success. It is so encouraging and reassuring to know that IiME is standing firm and campaigning for biomedical research into M — C Invest in ME (Charity Nr 1114035) Welcome to the third Invest in ME International ME/CFS Conference in London in May 2008 – an event that brings together the best of biomedical research from some of the most renowned experts on ME/CFS in the world. This third IiME conference coincides with publication of the third version of the Journal of IiME – a unique publication which combines research, information, news, stories and other articles relating to myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS). In two and half years IiME has now organised three international biomedical research conferences attracting some of the foremost and relevant experts on ME/CFS from around the world and this year’s conference is no exception. The blend of biomedical research, objective data and established experience presented by our distinguished speakers is testament to the increasing knowledgebase for ME/CFS. At the conference you will find citizens of ten nations in attendance – indicating, we hope, not just the popularity of the IiME conferences but also the yearning for education and knowledge of the science regarding this illness. We welcome Dr Judy Mikovits, Dr Leonard Jason, Dr Martin Lerner and Dr John Chia from USA and are grateful to them for taking the time to provide details of their research and vast experience. Our four guests from America are matched by four guests from UK representing old and new research and exhibiting a stunning mix of experience and analysis. We also welcome the Chief Medical Officer, in the shape of Dr. Paul Cosford, Regional Director of Public Health for the East of England and we welcome the Medical Research Council, represented by Dr Joanna Latimer. However, two people whom you will not see at the conference are Mr Alan Johnson and Mrs Ann Keen, Secretary of State and minister responsible for Health, respectively. The Department of Health (DoH) exists to improve the health and wellbeing of people in England – it states this on its website. Yet both ministers have declined our offer to speak at the conference and failed to respond to subsequent offers to attend (despite both having been originally invited when the initial conference plans were evolving over eight months ago). (continued on Page 4) Page 3
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