The MS Society is the UK's largest charity dedicated to supporting people with MS, their families and careers. It is the main source of reliable information about MS and one of the major UK founders of MS research. You can contact them at these addresses:

	MS SOCIETY, MS National Centre, 372 Edgware Road, London NW2 6ND Telephone: 020 8438 0700
	MS SOCIETY IN SCOTLAND, Ratho Park, 88 Glasgow Road, Ratho Station, Edinburgh EH28 8PP Telephone: 0131 335 4050
	MS SOCIETY IN NORTHERN IRELAND,      34 Annadale Avenue, Belfast BT7 3JJ Telephone: 028 9080 2802

The freephone MS Helpline offers information, counselling and support to anyone with MS, their families, friends and carers. Trained Helpline staff and MS community volunteers can answer questions about MS and related issues (eg welfare benefits, employment, sexuality etc). All calls are treated in complete confidence and won't be recorded on itemised bills. The Helpline talks to hundreds of newly diagnosed people every year:

Telephone: 0808 800 8000

Publications and website

The MS Society produces a wide range of printed information, for example, on types of MS, managing relapses, MS and insurance, pregnancy and MS, and disease modifying drugs. There is also a website:

www.mssociety.org.uk

To get a publications list, write to:

MS Society, PO Box 142, Bedford MK42 OFA

saying you would like a publications list and order form.

Membership

You can join the MS Society to make contact with other people and keep up to date about MS through the magazine sent to all members, MS Matters. The MS Society also provides a voice for people affected by MS. You can join a branch of teh MS Society and tap into a network of local people with direct experience of MS. Or, you can join as a national member - to be part of the Society and receive the magazine. For a membership form, contact the MS Society at the MS National Centre:

Telephone: 020 8438 0700

Or, contact one of the national offices.

	MS FIRST,             The MS Research Unit,                       Bristol General Hospital, Level 2, Guinea Street, Bristol BS1 6S Telephone: 0117 928 6332	www.digitalbristol.org
	MS NATIONAL THERAPY CENTRES, Bradbury House, 155 Barker's Lane, Bedford MK41 9RX Telephone: 01234 325781	www.ms-selfhelp.org
	THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS RESOURCE CENTRE, 7 Peartree Business Centre, Peartree Road, Stanway, Colchester, Essex CO3 5JN Telephone: 01206 505444	www.msrc.co.uk
	MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TRUST, Spirella Building, Bridge Road, Letchworth, Hertfordshire SG6 4ET Telephone: 01462 476700	www.mstrust.org.uk
	REVIVE SCOTLAND, Unit 16, Chapel Street Industrial Estate, Maryhill, Glasgow  G20 9BD Telephone: 0141 945 3344
	THE SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS THERAPY CENTRES, Unit 1, Saxbone Centre, Howe Moss Crescent, Kirkhill Industrial Estate, Dyce, Aberdeen AB21 OGN Telephone: 01224 771105	www.mstherapycentres.org.uk

In addition to the MS Society's website, there ar others with information on living with MS, the latest research and news, plus chatrooms.

www.mssociety.org.uk

The MS Society website is updated daily.

www.mswebpals.org

Also known as 'Jooly's Joint', this is an online community of people with MS.

www.msif.org

This website is run by the MS International Federation, made up of different MS Societies throughout the world.

YOU CAN HELP THE WORK OF THE MS SOCIETY BY:

	Becoming a member
	Making a donation
	Offering your time as a volunteer

REFERENCES:

1. A Compston, A Coles. (2002) Multiple Sclerosis.The Lancet, vol. 359, pages 1221-1231.
2. A Compston, G Ebers, H Lassman et al. (1998) McAlpine's Multiple Sclerosis (3rd edition). Published by Churchill Livingstone.
3. A Thompson. (2001) Primary progressive multiple sclerosis. MS Matters 39 (Sept-Oct 2001). Published by the MS Society.
4. I McDonald, A Compston, G Edan et al. (2001) Recommended diagnostic criteria for MS: Guidelines from the International Panel on the Diagnosis of MS. Anals of Neurology, vol.50 (1), pages 121-127.
5. NL Sicotte, SM Liva, R Klutch et al. (2002) Treatment of multiple sclerosis with the pregnancy hormone estriol. Annals of Neurology, vol. 52 (4), pages 421-8.
6. Research Matters - the MS Society research review 2001. Published by the MS Society, 2001.
7. G Sutherland, MB Andersen. (2001) Exercise and multiple sclerosis: physiological, psychological and quality of life issues. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, vol.41 (4), pages 421-32.
8. Managing Relapses, published by the MS Society, 2002.
9. Disease modifying drugs, published by the MS Society, 2001.
10. R Pertwee. (2002) Cannabinoids and multiple sclerosis. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, vol. 95 (2), page 165.
11. J Kleijnen, P Knipschild. (1995) Hyperbaric Oxygen for multiple sclerosis. Acta Neurologica Scaninavica, vol. 91, pages 330-334, from the Cochrane Collaboration library. The Cochrane Collaboration library. The Cochrane Collaboration is an international organisation that provides evidence-based information on the effects of healthcare interventions.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY

The MS Society is the UK's largest charity dedicated to supporting everyone whose life is touched by MS. It provides respite care, a freephone MS Helpline, grants for home adaptations and mobility aids, education and training, specialist MS nurses and a wide range of information. ocal branches cater for people of all ages and interests and are run by people with direct experience of MS. The MS Society also funds over 70 vital MS research projects in the UK.

Registered charity 207495