The scoping study has finally been published

The long-awaited scoping study has finally been published. This document defines “high-burden under-researched medical conditions” that will be targeted in future calls of the Horizon Europe research program. ME/CFS made the list but so did a lot of other medical conditions. This article provides a brief overview of the main results. Background and introduction TheContinue reading “The scoping study has finally been published”

Horizon Europe calls 2023-2024

On 6 December 2022, the European Commission approved the second work program of Horizon Europe for the years 2023-2024. In this article, we highlight several grants that may be relevant for scientists studying myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Introduction: what is Horizon Europe? Horizon Europe is the big research and innovation program of the EuropeanContinue reading “Horizon Europe calls 2023-2024”

The European call on ME/CFS: an overview and what follows next

More than 2 years after the adoption of the ME/CFS resolution, the European Commission has finally taken an initiative to support research on ME/CFS. The Horizon Europe work program 2023-2024 includes a call on “tackling high-burden for patients, under-researched medical conditions.” This call gives ME/CFS researchers improved opportunities to compete for a big European grantContinue reading “The European call on ME/CFS: an overview and what follows next”

Press release: EU supports research on poorly understood diseases

Thanks to the dedicated work of Belgian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Pascal Arimont and colleagues, Horizon Europe will provide new funding opportunities for research on high-burden, under-researched diseases. While modern medicine has produced many spectacular breakthroughs, some diseases remain poorly understood to this day. These illnesses often cause chronic pain and debilitating fatigueContinue reading “Press release: EU supports research on poorly understood diseases”

A new response from the EU Commission

In February 2022, a group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) headed by Pascal Arimont wrote several letters on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) to the European Commission. This article provides an overview of the Commission’s response to these letters. The MEPs, who form the parliamentary interest group for ME/CFS, highlighted the lack ofContinue reading “A new response from the EU Commission”

Summary of the PETI meeting on the ME/CFS petition

On 1 December 2021, the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament (PETI) held a second discussion of petition 0204/2019 on biomedical research on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). A full recording of the meeting can be found below. Evelien’s speech The Vice-Chair of the Committee on Petitions, Tatjana Ždanoka, opened the discussion. She introducedContinue reading “Summary of the PETI meeting on the ME/CFS petition”

An overview of funding, biobanks, and networks for ME/CFS scientists

The European ME Coalition (EMEC) published an international overview of funding sources, biobanks and networks for scientists who are interested in studying myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Worldwide there is a dire shortage of funding opportunities for ME/CFS research. We hope, however, that this summary will facilitate the search for useful resources and that itContinue reading “An overview of funding, biobanks, and networks for ME/CFS scientists”

Horizon Europe calls 2021-2022

On 15 June, the European Commission approved the first work program of Horizon Europe for the years 2021-2022. In this article, we highlight several grants that may be relevant for scientists studying myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). We hope that our advocacy efforts will lead to better funding opportunities for ME/CFS research in future workContinue reading “Horizon Europe calls 2021-2022”

Scoping study

There is progress at the European level, but things are moving slowly. The European Commission plans to issue a scoping study that will include ME/CFS. Below, you can read an update on our work to get ME/CFS research funded through Horizon Europe, the 95 billion euro research program of the European Union. Representatives of theContinue reading “Scoping study”

Work in Progress

Recently, the European ME Coalition (EMEC) had a meeting with representatives of the European Commission. Last year the European Parliament adopted a resolution that called for additional funding for biomedical research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). EMEC recently had a meeting with representatives of the European Commission to discuss the follow-up on the resolutionContinue reading “Work in Progress”