A statement from Invest in ME Research regarding the International ME Conference Week events in London in May 2020.
The WHO has also pronounced the Covid-19 situation as a pandemic and further restrictions and changes are being applied to normal life.
Therefore, due to the continuing and escalating consequences from this serious situation, it is with great regret that Invest in ME Research has had to cancel the 15th International ME Conference in London on 30 May 2020, along with other planned events during International ME Conference Week 2020 – including the Thinking the Future 2020 conference, the International ME Clinicians Workshop and the 10th International Biomedical Research into ME Colloquium.
Restrictions on staff travel have been placed by academic and research institutes in a number of countries and many of the delegates and speakers to the conference (and the other events organised by Invest in ME Research) are affected by this.
In UK there are predictions that cases of people affected by Covid-19 will continue to increase and may peak around May/June. This places the Conference in the middle of this phase. We feel that it would be irresponsible to plan on holding any such event in the foreseeable future that involved people with ME or researchers mixing in public spaces and travelling – even if it were possible.
The Invest in ME Research Colloquiums and Conferences are international events and always have been – spanning fifteen years since the charity was formed – and we hope that we can make new arrangements for the future and we will keep you informed.
Our best wishes – and please stay safe,
Invest in ME Research