The entire staff at MSAA is greatly saddened to learn of the recent death of Dr. John F. Kurtzke, a highly accomplished expert in the field of multiple sclerosis research. Dr. Kurtzke was a neuroepidemiologist (a doctor who specializes in researching the development and treatment of neurological diseases) and Professor of Neurology at Georgetown University. He is best known by the MS community for his work in creating the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale, a vital evaluative tool used by neurologists to determine a patient’s physical status and level of ability. This scale is critical in evaluating disease progression over time, as well as determining the effectiveness of approved and experimental treatments for MS.

The annual meeting of ECTRIMS (European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) 31st congress took place on October 7-10, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. Established in 1984, ECTRIMS is a European professional organization dedicated to understanding the cause and pathophysiology of MS and to the development of new treatments. Each year, ECTRIMS hosts the world’s largest annual international conference devoted to basic and clinical research in multiple sclerosis.