The next Atlas of MS is underway

The Atlas of MS is the most extensive worldwide study of the epidemiology of MS and the global availability and accessibility of resources for people with MS. The two previous editions have been widely referenced by the research community, as well as used for national advocacy. MSIF aims to produce a new edition of the Atlas of MS, launching in 2020, improving global coverage and the quality of the evidence.

We believe that people with MS, MS organisations, MS researchers, policy makers, and others should have clear, verified and comparable data on MS to support national, regional and international campaigns for change. We also want to ensure that quality of life becomes an increasingly important part of how MS is monitored and measured around the world, in line with the Seven principles to improve quality of life.

Several countries are represented in our Atlas Working Group (including Argentina, Australia, Denmark, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Tunisia, UK, US) and we have links to even more via our Expert Advisors.

We will need to incorporate all new national studies of MS into the updated Atlas, so we can provide a more accurate estimate of the number of people living with MS across the world. For instance, the new data recently produced by our member organisation the National MS Society states that the number of people with MS in the US is 500,000 higher than previously estimated.

Therefore, to ensure this edition of the Atlas is as good as it can be, we need to recruit contacts from every country in the world and will be reaching out to people who might be able to assist with data collection in the coming weeks.

Are you interested in finding out more, or being part of the global Atlas effort? Contact Rachel King on rachel@msif.org who will be happy to speak to you.