Medical Advisory Board (MAB) Report

A list of current MAB members can be found here.

Following the APPG meeting in May, I was asked if I would take over the role as co-ordinator of the MAB.  Kathy Longley, who had been the co-ordinator since its creation in July 2001, wanted to concentrate on other roles, such as editing the FMA UK section of FaMily magazine.  I’m happy to report that Kathy continues to be a member of the MAB. 

Unfortunately, Norman Farron resigned in May (before he knew I was joining, I hope!!) and I would like to thank him for all his input and support over the years. I’m happy to say that Norman is still ‘in the wings’ so we haven’t lost him completely.

Since May, I’m delighted to report that we have had three new members agree to join the MAB and I extend a very warm welcome to Alice Theadom BSc, MSc, C.Physchol, Dr Ernest Choy MD, FRCP Consultant Rheumatologist, King’s College London and Colin Beevor. 

Alice is a Research Fellow and Chartered Health Psychologist at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and joined us in June.

Dr Choy is Consultant Rheumatologist and Reader in Rheumatology in the Academic Department of Rheumatology, King’s College London. He director and chair of many organizations one of which is chairs the European League Against Rheumatism Taskforce on developing recommendations for management and classification criteria for fibromyalgia. Ernest joined us in August.

Colin Beevor is Matron of Musculoskeletal Outpatient Services at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth and Royal Haslar Hospital (Naval) Gosport.  Colin was instrumental in helping Mary Oubridge set up the North London Fibromyalgia Support Group at the Royal Free Hospital where he was working at the time.  Colin is hoping to set up a support group in the Portsmouth area.  Colin joined us in October.

Welcome to the MAB, we look forward to working with you all.

We are really fortunate to have leading fibromyalgia experts on our Board and, despite their extremely busy professional lives, continue to give us their time and expertise on a purely voluntary basis.  We owe a great deal to them and I would like to thanks them for their help and continued contribution to FMA UK and the fibromyalgia cause.