The aim of the clinical committee of the IPMSSG is to promote a better understanding of all clinical aspects of pediatric MS and related disorders. The ultimate mandate of our committee is to globally optimize the care for our patients. This goal requires dissemination of state-of-the-art knowledge. Furthermore, we aim to foster discussion on controversial topics in order to facilitate consensus or motivate clinically relevant research projects. To put our goals into practice, we are organizing global IPMSSG membership meetings on a planned bi-annual basis. Additionally, we are aiming to support collaborative publications focused on clinical aspects of pediatric MS and related disorders. In order to truly represent our global membership, we are inviting IPMSSG members interested in our mission to join us in our Clinical Committee.

Current Members:
Lauren Krupp, Chair (USA)
Daniela Pohl, Co-Chair (Canada)
Isa Simone (Italy)
Sunita Venkateswaran (Canada)
Gulay Alper (USA)
Russell Dale (Australia)

The Clinical Trial Task Force seeks to build collaboration among IPMSSG members for their ongoing participation in clinical trials deemed to be safe and feasible by the IPMSSG steering committee. They also solicit input and feed back from subject experts, regulatory agencies and the IPMSSG global membership in studying clinical trials issues and making its recommendations and work regularly with regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical industry in matters related to clinical trials. The Task Force also reviews all issues related to collaborative clinical trials in pediatric MS and provide advice and recommendations to the IPMSSG steering committee.

Current Members:
Emmanuelle Waubant, Chair (USA)
Rogier Hintzen, Co-chair (Netherlands)
Marc Tardieu (France)
Brenda Banwell (USA)
Tanuja Chitnis (USA)
Evangeline Wassmer (UK)

The Education Committee is responsible for promoting education and professional development, sharing good practice and serving as an expert resource for clinicians. Tools used to do this include the website (for professionals and patients), publications and organizing high quality courses at conferences. The meetings enhance networking, improves the understanding of children and adolescents with pediatric MS and related disorders and improve their care.

Current Members:
Cheryl Hemingway, Chair
Kevin Rostasy, Co-Chair (Germany)
Andrew Kornberg (Australia)
Evangeline Wassmer (UK)
Anita Belman (USA)
Lisbeth de Waele (Belgium)
Nalia Makhani (USA)
Dessa Sadonvnick (Canada)

Current Members:
Silvia Tenebaum, Chair (Argentina)
Angelo Ghezzi (Italy)
Brenda Banwell (USA)

The research Committee promotes initiatives and research to improve the care of children with multiple sclerosis and acquired demyelinating diseases.  It fosters opportunities for collaboration amongst clinicians and researchers who work in the field of pediatric demyelinating disease. The goals of research are to enhance the understanding of the medical and psychosocial needs of children and adolescents with pediatric MS and related disorders and improve their care. 

The IPMSSG maximizes international participation in research.

2 flagship projects are being developed:

• Research project: Earliest events in MS: Environmental risk factors in childhood MS
• Clinical project: Registry to evaluate therapeutic practices in complicated, acquired demyelinating conditions

A pilot proposal to determine feasibility of multinational biological studies in children (in preparation for the full research study on environmental risk factors in MS) has been funded by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation and the Italian MS Society. The project began in the first half of 2011.

Face to face meeting of the IPMSSG steering committee (and members of the other committees) in Montreal in September 2008 – timed to coincide with ECTRIMS/ ACTRIMS/ LACTRIMS. We used this opportunity to bring together committee members and work groups to proceed on the projects and also to recruit new members to the study group.

Current Members:
Tanuja Chitins, Chair (USA)
Maria Pia Amato, Co-chair (Italy)
Brenda Banwell (USA)
Ann Yeh, Co-Chair (Canada)
Ming Lim (UK)
Emmanuelle Waubant (USA)
Wolfgang Brück (Germany)
Ann-Louise Ponsonby (Austrailia)
Evangeline Wassmer (UK)
Cheryl Hemingway(UK)