European ALS Consortium
Abstract
ALS and other motor neuron disorders 2004 5(Suppl 1), 133â134 # 2004 ALS and other motor neuron disorders. All rights reserved. ISSN 1466-0822 133 Collaborative research groups European ALS Consortium Vincent Meininger Hopital de la Salpetriere, Paris France Ë Ë ` This paper gives a brief overview of the background leading to the formation of the European ALS Consortium. As in the United States, the story of an ALS consortium starts with the trials. The ï¬rst group, the European Familial ALS Group (EFALS), was started by Nigel Leigh and Frank Bass because of the need to exchange information about genetics and to exchange scientiï¬c samples. I am not sure to what extent this group achieved the goals we expected, but it still exists and works reasonably effectively from a scientiï¬c point of view. Also, in Europe the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association has played an important role â its annual symposia pushed the European scientists into meeting together and exchanging information on science, trials and the care of patients. The associations play a key role for European groups. However, the major inï¬uence in building the European consortium was the trials. Trials in Europe started in 1987 with the