Pathways to Cures Global Summit
I (Stuart Schlossman) was fortunate to have been asked, and to have attended this Global Summit, and having been able to ask questions or add my thoughts not just as an MS Advocate but also from being an MS patient. #PathwaystoCuresGlobalSummit
May 23, 2023
The first-ever Pathways to Cures Global Summit was held in New York City in early May 2023, convening nearly 200 participants from 15 countries. The goal was to review recent scientific advances in the Stop, Restore and End pathways, refine the Pathways roadmap, and develop a global strategy of collaboration and alignment of investments into areas of high opportunity to speed the development of MS cures. Participants included leadership from MS advocacy organizations, researchers, doctors, government funders, pharmaceutical companies, supporters and people living with MS, and included many of the scientists and organizations who helped to write or endorse the published Pathways to Cures Roadmap. Sessions were organized by the Scientific Planning Committee* to include short presentations, panel discussions and audience input.Watch highlights from the Pathways to Cures SummitListen to a two-part RealTalk MS podcast on the Summit
Executive SummaryProgress has been made in each of the Stop, Restore and End pathways. There remain hurdles to success, some of which will require larger and more sustained research efforts than any one MS organization can do alone. Overarching Themes
- A strategic and global approach for curing MS is needed
- We must engage people with MS at every level of research to speed progress
- Discovering the biological underpinnings of MS at every stage is crucial to all three pathways and will inform how we describe and treat the disease
- Collaborations, Coordination, Communication and Commitment are critical to success
- Global collaboration will require a clear focus, the setting of priorities, and agreement on equitable rules of engagement
- Defined milestones and clear metrics to measure progress are essential
- Momentum will be built and sustained when we have both immediate priorities and longer-term goals
Next StepsThe Scientific Planning Committee co-chairs recommended these next steps to advance global collaboration:
- Define global priorities on critical topics, including:
- Epstein-Barr virus
- Biology-based terminology for defining different stages of MS
- Biological mechanisms underlying the initiation of MS and ongoing disease
- Strategies to overcome obstacles to data sharing
- Set timelines
- Review progress
Steps Underway
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