Journal of IiME Volume 5 Issue 1 (May 2011) son Andrew Chia and their aim is to develop drugs to treat enterovirally-induced ME/CFS. Professor Kenny De Meirleir has also been a regular speaker at Invest in ME conferences. He is the most prolific and experienced ME/CFS researcher in Europe and treats a great number of patients. His work concentrates on the immune system in the gut. Professors Tom Wileman and Simon Carding are from the University of East Anglia and will be presenting on the possibilities of research into ME using the facilities and expertise in virology and immunology which are present in the Norwich Research Park area and which we hope to utilise in our proposal for a centre for ME. Dr Wilfried Bieger practises private medicine in Munich, Germany concentrating on neurostress illnesses such as burn out, depression, multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) and CFS. After the Science magazine 2009 research article on XMRV Dr Bieger decided to look for XMRV in German CFS patients and the results of this study will be presented here today. May is ME Awareness Month and IiME have a number of events around the conference which have been organized. Apart from the conference the Science, Politics …and ME preconference presentation will provide more awareness of the reasons why good science is inhibited by policy-makers and vested interests. We have an article in the Journal by Margaret Williams which also describes the effect of the UK Science Media Centre. IiME were recently invited to join the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for ME. We have not always felt this body has been useful for improving the situation with regard to ME but we have decided to accept and hopefully influence future events. As a first step we have asked for the chair of the APPG to accept our invitation to meet with researchers on the day before the IIMEC6 conference in the UK parliament. That will now happen. This is a way Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) for MPs can hear about real science and research. IiME are also organizing a meeting with researchers – our Corridor Conference – as much of the good work at conferences and symposiums is carried out in the corridors between lectures. The idea with this meeting is to promote collaboration and coordination of research. Our Awareness Month campaign slogan is Burst Our Bubble – a reference to the isolation which people with ME and their families have to endure caused by misinformation, ignorance and bogus science. Our posters have been distributed around UK (one is on the back cover of the Journal) – see here http://www.investinme.org/IiME%20ME%20Awa reness%20Burst%20Our%20Bubble.htm. Invest in ME were chosen as Charity of the Month by London Business Matters – the magazine for the London Chamber of Commerce. The charity took out a full page advert in the magazine to raise awareness of the disease. The ad can be seen in the online version of the magazine here – http://www.londonbusinessmatters.co.uk/archi ve/2011-05/index.html#/38/ At the conference members of the European ME Alliance will also meet to decide on new initiatives across Europe. Invest in ME wish to thank those individuals who have donated to us to bring about the 6th Invest in ME International ME/CFS Conference 2011. Thank you for your generosity. We would like to thank the Irish ME Trust for again sponsoring a speaker and for their continued support and cooperation Continued page 8 www.investinme.org Page 7/58
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