A message from Cyndi Zagieboylo: The global impact of MS research
Cyndi Zagieboylo, president and CEO
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is the largest MS organization in the world. We lead a global effort to connect the world’s MS researchers with each other to focus on finding cures for MS. The Pathways to Cures Roadmap describes three types of MS cures — Stop MS, Restore Function and End MS — and outlines the discoveries needed to realize these cures. We have reached international consensus that the Pathways to Cures Roadmap is the plan to solve MS. It has received endorsements from 30 MS organizations globally, virtually all the organizations that focus on MS research from around the world.
As Bruce Bebo, PhD, the Society’s executive vice president of research puts it, “The goal of this initiative is to establish a clear vision of the most promising research that will lead us to cures for everyone with MS and inspire the global MS movement to collaborate and coordinate research investments on an unprecedented scale.”
As part of our commitment to driving progress in Pathways to Cures, the Society most recently committed $20 million in research grants. And in collaboration with MS organizations worldwide, we have compiled the global landscape of MS research being conducted through MS organization and government funding. A total of 1,305 projects were funded during 2021–23 from 16 organizations worldwide, including the U.S. These projects are valued at over $390 million and represent all three Pathways to Cures categories. The total U.S. investment in that timeframe represents about $202 million. This global landscape of MS research helps us track progress everywhere so that we can benefit from discoveries quickly and identify gaps in research that need to be addressed.
As the world focuses together on understanding MS so that we can find cures, we are committed to keeping the Pathways to Cures Roadmap current. The next version of the roadmap is ready and should be published soon.
The global plan to cure MS is a bold step in achieving our vision of a world free of MS and we will persist in this work until MS is cured for everyone.
Would you like an easy way to learn more about the latest in MS research, hear from scientists directly and keep up with other MS-related news? Check out RealTalk MS with host Jon Strum. Listening to Jon and his guests is part of my weekly routine. Let me know what you think of the podcast and what topics you’d be interested in hearing Jon discuss.
Let’s keep in touch!
Cyndi Zagieboylo
President & CEO
National MS Society
Let me know your thoughts. Email me at cyndi@nmss.org.