AIM
Below the letter of the end year of the AIM President, Gabriele Siciliano, outlining the activities of the Association.
“ Dear AIM Members,
It’s with a special feeling I’m sending to you the usual end of year message and my wish for a sparkle end of it and a very happy new year.
The first six months of the new year are the last of my triennial mandate, I am going to face them with a bit of melancholy for the usual exit phase but also with so much determination in bringing our Association towards always more ambitious and rewarding goals, cherishing the awareness of representing an united and enthusiastic working group. Therefore, this is not the time to make final summaries, rather I would like to stress the viability of our Association in its primary activities of disseminating knowledge, stimulating research and acting in favor of the patients.
The number of AIM members, especially young people, is further increased compared to the previous year, almost 20%.
We were involved in several educational events. We were regarded as advisory consultants at various institutional levels and authoritatively participated in research groups and national and international scientific events. Something more certainly is awaiting us from today to the next Genoa AIM Congress in June 2018.
After concluding to draft the new statute on December 12 (we updated and necessarily regularized some organizational and administrative aspects), we have been called, even as an affiliated association to the Italian Neurology Society, to work on drafting guidelines and clinical recommendations in our field of study, in compliance with the recently introduced legislation (the Gelli’s Law). It is my purpose to request your collaboration and your participation in working groups in this regard.
Another current topic is the increasing advisory role that institutions ask us to carry out in evaluating appropriateness of the new therapies for diseases of our interest, which is a fundamental and challenging task for all of us. This is part of the recognition of the role of our Association also in wider initiatives such as the one related to the ERN. In this regard, we were invited to a recent meeting in Rome, on 20 December, by authoritative representatives of the State-Regions conference on health issues.
The on-going project of the Coordination of Neuro-Muscular Patient Associations, in which we are involved as a technical partner, will continue albeit some difficulties (also economic for the smaller Associations) have slowed the legal recognition of this Coordination board. However, I firmly believe that we can not miss the opportunity to create synergies between doctors and the different patients’ associations.
In this view, we have been present at the audition with the Minister of Public Administration in September 27, and will participate at the Rare Disease Day on February 28 and, especially, at the next edition of the Neuromuscular Day, GMN2018, on March 10.
Our commitment will continue in divulging knowledge on muscle diseases and more generally in the matter of myology, in this organizing further scientific-and educational events, collaborating with other twin and related Associations, supporting research grants for young scientists, contributing to growth of our journal Acta Myologica.
With these brief notes I finish my message, I embrace all of you and I wish you a happy 2018.”
MSM
The 13th Congress of the Mediterranean Society of Myology will be held in Turkey on 27-29 June 2018, organised by Prof. Haluk Topaloglu. The symposium was in the traditional two-days MSM format with selected topics (see brochure).
WMS
The 23rd International WMS Congress will be held in Mendoza, Argentina from 2 to 6 October 2018. The symposium will follow the traditional format with 3 selected topics:
• New developments in genetic and acquired disorders of the neuromuscular junction.
• Mitochondrial function and dysfunction in neuromuscular disorders: pathogenesis and therapies.
• Advances in the treatment of neuromuscular disorders.
One day of the symposium will be dedicated to each of the selected topics. Invited keynote speakers will summarize the state of the art on the selected topics, covering clinical, molecular and other aspects. The sessions will comprise selected oral papers and poster presentations with guided discussions. Contributions will also be welcome on new advances across the neuromuscular field. The 16th WMS Pre-Congress Teaching Course will be held on 1-2 October 2018. Please note only 45 places are available. Early booking is advised.8
