Tighten your seat belts. 2025 is going to be another big and productive year for MS Australia and the MS community. Highlights include:
Election: Our policy proposals have been developed and promoted to the major parties ahead of the federal election. We are calling for, inter alia:
- A national MRFF neurological research mission
- Funding for a national MS Biobank
- A national MS nurse workforce strategy
Our advocacy will continue right through to polling day, whether it’s March, April or May.
Count Us In! As Chair of the Neurological Alliance Australia, I’m championing the Count Us In campaign to help get the attention, support and recognition that the seven million Australians living with neurological conditions need. You can bring the campaign to the attention of our politicians here.
PLATYPUS: Our new clinical trials seeking an effective medication for progressive forms of MS will enrol its first participant. This exciting adaptive clinical trial is supported by MSWA and is the Australian extension of the OCTOPUS clinical trial, funded by the UK MS Society and launched in April 2023.
Prevention: In April, we will partner with MS Canada to run an international workshop to help set an agenda for a multi-million dollar global prevention initiative with a focus on ultra-early detection and intervention to help stop MS before it starts.
Prevalence: We will release the latest report on the prevalence and economic impact of MS in Australia in late 2025. This eagerly anticipated report is currently being compiled by leading experts at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research.
Priorities: Early in the year, we will again be running our major research and advocacy priorities survey, so we can ensure all our work reflects the priorities that are important to you.
The May 50K: We are already in training for our biggest MS research fundraising event – The May 50K! I hope to hobble 200km for my May 50K, featuring two half-marathons, one in Sydney at the beginning of May, and one in the Arctic Circle on World MS Day – May 30. Get your teams ready – The May 50K is going to be big!
Neurological Data: Australia’s first-ever report on neurological disease data is expected mid-year in the form of a pilot report developed – following our advocacy – by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. A major milestone.
Conference: We are holding our biggest and best-ever research conference in Brisbane on December 3-5. Mark your diaries now!
Finally, a very big thank you to all our Member Organisations – MS Plus, MSWA, MS Queensland and MS SA/NT – our deeply committed Chair, George Pampacos, Deputy Chair Vicki Thomson, and all our Board Directors, our fabulous supporters, partners and donors, our amazing researchers, our hardworking staff and the wonderful, committed MS community.
Thank you and have a very happy Christmas
