Journal of IiME Volume 3 Issue 1 Comment biomedical conference. So let us take a hypothetical situation which occurs between our 2009 conference and leading up to our 2010 conference. Let us suppose that a diagnostic test was developed and that sub groups were more easily able to be identified in order to guide treatments. Let us suppose that the disease mechanism for ME was found? How would ministers and healthcare officials react to such changes? What changes would be seen in the healthcare system? How would the pharmaceutical industry react when there is a promise of great rewards from development of effective treatments and possibly cures for ME based on successful biomedical research? How would NICE react? What changes in attitude would come forth from insurers and Work and Pensions departments toward the current policies where benefits are often denied to people with ME? Would the CMO change his stance? Would the Medical Research Council be more transparent and begin funding biomedical research based on sound science rather than on vested interests? Would the MRC seriously allow funding of biomedical research to begin? We believe that researchers such as those at our conference are making such enormous progress that we should be looking at the above scenario and begin to be prepared to ask these questions. In the last year we have seen the great potential of biomedical research being realised due to the approach adopted by organisations that have a clear strategy – amongst them the Whittemore-Peterson Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) We can hope that by our next conference in 2010 the landscape might have changed significantly enough so that we will be reporting on progress on this development and talking of a year of success. For next year’s conference we hope to be welcoming more new delegates – including those who are currently conspicuous by their continuing absence. And so to the Journal. Appropriately, to reflect the emphasis on severe ME at the conference we have several articles revolving around severe ME. Following the death of Alison Hunter from complications arising from ME the Alison Hunter Memorial Foundation (AHMF) of Australia was set up by her mother, Chris. Chris Hunter has given us permission to republish a very moving article by Alison – written many years ago but as relevant today as it was when Alison wrote it at the age of 17 – a story which any parent of a child with ME would Page 7/76 www.investinme.org Institute. We feel the newly-established Enterovirus Foundation will also influence the progress of biomedical research into ME. Invest in ME has, since its inception, been advocating a national strategy of biomedical research into ME as the only logical way forward. However, this is now being superseded by the requirement for an international strategy of biomedical research. The WPI and the researchers at our conference are making great strides in progress and Invest in ME wish to publicise their work at every opportunity and encourage people around the world to support them – both in moral and financial support. After the conference Invest in ME will be working with our European colleagues to further the establishment of centres similar to the WPI. Our Biomedical Research Fund, announced, in January, will be used to help with this and provide a focal point for these plans.
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