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Presentation of Declaration to European Commission

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Category: Press Releases

Published on Saturday, 30 August 2008 10:07

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FMA UK has sent letters to ALL UK MEPs and MPs regarding the signing of a written Declaration on Fibromyalgia being presented by the European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations (ENFA) at the European Parliament.  You will find a copy below.

However, as usual, far more notice will be taken of individual requests to MEPs than one letter from FMA UK so we really would appreciate everyone following this up by contacting the MEPs in your region asking them to support us and sign.  We need around 380 signatures on the Declaration or it will NOT be presented to the European Parliament and it will go no further. We will then have missed a tremendous opportunity to raise the profile of fibromyalgia both in the UK and Europe.

The Declaration will be available for signing for 3 months from 1^st September 2008 so if your MEP misses this session there will be other opportunities. ENFA will publish a list of those MEPs who have signed on their website http://www.enfa-europe.eu so you will be able to check if your MEP has signed. A FMA UK list is available here which is correct as of 28/10/08.

Here at FMA UK we are passionate in our efforts to raise awareness of this debilitating illness and we really need your help to take this to the next level and we are determined to do as much as possible to ensure that it receives the 380 signatures required to take this further. The future diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia sufferers will take an important step forward if this Declaration is adopted.

FMA UK joined forces with other Fibromyalgia Associations within Europe and ENFA, an international not for profit organisation registered in Brussels, Belgium, was formed. The objectives are to represent the 14 million Europeans that are suffering from fibromyalgia in Europe and raise awareness at the European level by lobbying the European Institutions. At present, 11 countries are represented: France, United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Italy.

At the European Parliament in May 2008, a Global Impact Study, conducted by Harris Interactive, was presented which showed that 82% of primary care physicians and 63% of specialists in the UK reported that they had little or no fibromyalgia training. In fact, the UK had the worst results compared with France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. Those of us involved with fibromyalgia in the UK are not surprised.

We need to change attitudes of decision makers throughout Europe so that fibromyalgia is recognized; health professionals are better able to deal with fibromyalgia patients; diagnosis and treatments are readily available; further research funds are accessible and data on fibromyalgia is collected.

The signature of every UK MEP could make all the difference between success and failure for the Declaration and the following list contains all the UK MEPs. You can write to ALL those in your area so please take a little of your time to contact them.

Jean Turner
Trustee and All Party Parliamentary Group Co-ordinator

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