2024 in Review: A Year of Action at MSIF

2024 was the second year of MSIF’s global strategy working to bring the world together with urgency to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of everybody affected by MS, and to end MS forever. It’s been a year of action – MSIF launched a new World MS Day campaign, welcomed new Board of Trustees and member organisations, awarded regional grants and so much more. Read on as we capture some of the highlights of the year in line with MSIF’s strategic aims.

This article is a summary of our 2024 annual highlights, for full details read the highlights (in English) here.

Strategic Aim One: Improve scientific understanding to prevent, treat and stop MS

MSIF rallies the global community to advance research into preventing, treating and stopping MS. We work to increase the meaningful participation of people affected by MS throughout the research and development process.

Here’s a snapshot of what we achieved together towards this Aim in 2024:

• Two papers were published by a collaboration of MSIF members, explaining how increased global collaboration will accelerate progress toward cures.
• The International Progressive MS Alliance launched a new funding scheme, requesting proposals for Experimental Medicine Trials that aim to test potential new treatments for progressive MS. The Alliance also hosted three webcasts to share the latest insights in progressive MS research.
• Researchers in Malawi and Argentina received the 2024 McDonald Fellowships, awarded by MSIF in partnership with ECTRIMS and FRANCESEP.
• Joining the 40th ECTRIMS Congress, MSIF and its members also supported the ECTRIMS patient community day, an educational opportunity for anybody affected by MS to learn about the latest advancements directly impacting their ongoing care and treatment options.
• Members of the Global Patient Reported Outcomes for MS Initiative (PROMS) analysed a global survey on MS symptom impact, launched a task force to map PRO use in MS registries, and shared findings on eHealth tools and digital surveys at the ECTRIMS Congress, in a new publication, and during the PROMS annual meeting.
• MSIF updated the Atlas of MS with core data from 80 countries, with another 5 countries providing core data for the first time, achieving unprecedented global representation with responses from 122 countries covering 93% of the world’s population.

Strategic Aim Two: Greater access to effective healthcare, information and support 

Improving access to MS healthcare, information and support is a key goal for MSIF and our members across the globe. MSIF brings organisations together to share resources and improve access to clear and trustworthy information. We support national and international advocacy to improve early access to effective, safe and affordable disease modifying therapies (DMTs) for people with MS around the world. Together we advocate for improved access to early diagnosis, treatment and care.

These are some highlights of MSIF’s work towards this strategic aim this year.  

• MSIF and its members contributed to the ‘Brain Health: Time Matters’ report published this year.
• Researchers are making the evidence behind our successful application to the WHO Essential Medicines List is available through scientific publications. We also shared stories from people with MS about their experiences accessing MS healthcare.
• MSIF commissioned a feasibility study and established a steering group to analyse where the global movement should focus its efforts to improve MS diagnosis. We hosted a series of international workshops to guide this work.
• The global movement translated ‘MS: Yoga and Meditation’ into Hebrew, Russian and Polish, and translated ‘Living well with MS as you grow older into Urdu.
• MSIF outlined a new and more rigorous approach to quality assurance of information resources, developing a Quality Assurance Guide for our information work.

Strategic Aim Three: A stronger, broader, global MS movement

We work to strengthen MS organisations to address challenges faced by people affected by MS in their countries, and to strengthen collaborations across the MSIF movement to better address global MS challenges. Building solidarity and engagement in the MSIF movement through our membership, global campaigns and more.

Learn more about MSIF’s work towards this strategic aim this year.

• MSIF welcomed two new members: MS Vereniging Nederland (Dutch MS Association) as a Full member and Multiple Sclerosis South Africa (MSSA) as an Associate member.
• MSIF held its annual Hybrid Global Networking Meetings, bringing together 78 participants from 27 countries, both in person in London and online.
• New members were welcomed to MSIF Board of Trustees with Mario Battaglia from Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (Italy) elected as the new chair, and Ana Torredemer from Esclerosis Múltiple España (Spain) as the vice-chair.
• Active engagement with strategic partners such as the WHO, NCD Alliance and European Brain Council helped to strengthen our relationships and ensure that MS and neurological conditions are represented in global health agendas.

Countries where MSIF participated in activities or provided ad-hoc support in 2024 - from the MSIF Time Bank

• MSIF participated in various member activities, including attending an event by the Ligue Nationale Belge de la Sclérose en Plaques (Belgium), presenting at MS Ireland’s board meeting, participating in the 40^th anniversary celebrations of Associação Brasileira de Esclerose Múltipla (Brazil) and more.
• MSIF assisted MS organisations in a variety of ways; making connections in Nepal, Singapore and Nigeria; linking up our members in Denmark and Japan; taking part in a seminar in Colombia and supporting advocacy efforts in Guatemala and Argentina.
• A grant was awarded to the Sudanese MS Association. Around 30 allied healthcare professionals are being trained in understanding MS, to help displaced people with MS from Sudan to access information, services and support.
• With support from MSIF, the MS Society of India launched the #InsureMyMS campaign, raising critical awareness about the high cost of medicine in India and advocating for more affordable healthcare/insurance. We also supported the development of seven new organisational policies.
• To update its understanding of MS organisations needs in Latin America (LATAM), MSIF carried out an organisational needs assessment survey, with a particular focus on diagnosis.
• MSIF continued supporting the LATEM Network in implementing their Communications Strategy and training Network members to sustain it. The LATEM Network Regional Congress was attended by 56 people from 15 organisations.
• A total of 124 countries took part in the first year of the My MS Diagnosis campaign. The new campaign toolkit and animation were saw high engagement.

Raising vital funds to bring us closer to our vision of a world without MS

Each year, MSIF hosts two fundraising events which enable us to collaborate with our members across the globe to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of everybody effected by MS.

• 3600 people from 49 countries took part in The May 50K. Four member organisations took part this year: MS Society UK, MS Ireland, Stitchting MS Research (Netherlands), Deutsche Multiple Sklerose Gesellschaft Bundesverband (Germany), together with them we raised £878000. Funds raised go towards both national projects in participating countries and global initiatives supported by MSIF.
• MSIF announced the rebrand of our Tour de France cycling event formerly known as Cykelnerven International to Cycle for MS: Conquer the Tour. MSIF CEO, Peer Baneke took part in the 2024 event to mark his retirement.

A year in review

Click the image to read the full highlights.

This is just some of the progress that the MSIF movement has achieved together in 2024. The highlights in this article represent the power of collaboration and the dedication of MSIF’s members and MS organisations across the globe. For more details please read full highlights document (available in English) here.

At the end of 2024 we wish farewell to MSIF’s CEO Peer Baneke and a warm welcome our new CEO Lydia Makaroff.

In 2025 we will continue build on the progress made towards our strategic aims and explore exciting new areas, including focusing our collaborative efforts on improving access to MS diagnosis. The MSIF movement continues to bring the world together, to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of everybody affected by MS, and to end MS forever.