MSIF and MS Organisations at LACTRIMS 2026

The 13th Latin American Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (LACTRIMS) took place in Mexico City on the 18-21 March. LACTRIMS 2026 reunited experts from across the Americas. Over four days participants discussed the latest updates, treatment advances and research findings in MS, MOGAD and NMOSD. It was an opportunity for MS organisations in the region to connect with researchers and healthcare professionals to share learnings and deepen partnerships.  

Strengthening the voice of MS organisations 

Attending LACTRIMS offered MS organisations a valuable platform to raise awareness of their important role within the research and healthcare community. 

Betsy Figueroa Sandoval, Vicepresident of the MS Organisation in Chile Corp EM says: 

‘People generally know about the existence of patient organisations, but not about their importance in public policy, or how they can reduce the gap in access to diagnosis by providing timely and truthful information’

Participation also helped strengthen collaboration with healthcare professionals and researchers  

Karen Silva, Deputy director of relationships from FUNDEM, Colombia, says 

‘Participation in LACTRIMS significantly strengthened relationships with healthcare professionals and researchers at the national and international levels. It allowed for the consolidation of ties with existing physicians, fostering greater openness to collaborative work. It also facilitated outreach to new professionals interested in joining the Foundation FUNDEM as a strategic partner.’

A shared scientific programme  

LACTRIMS 2026 featured a rich scientific programme including symposia with MEXCTRIMS, European Charcot Foundation, BCTRIMS, ACTRIMS, ECTRIMS, FOCEM and International Women in MS.  

 This year, LACTRIMS invited MSIF and MS organisations to present as part of the main programme, reflecting the growing collaboration between health professionals, researchers, MSIF, and Latin American MS organisations in the region. 

Driving change through local action 

Recipients of MSIF’s 2025 small grants for MS organisations in LATAM running innovative diagnosis projects took to the stage. Representatives from the Corporación Esclerosis Múltiple (Corp EM) Chile, Fundación para la esclerosis múltiple y otras enfermedades (FUNDEM) Colombia, Asociación Guatemalteca de Esclerosis Multiple (ASOGEM) Guatemala, Fundación Esclerosis Múltiple Amor (FEMA) Honduras and Asociación Hecho con Amor Peru spoke on a panel about the “Barriers to accessing MS diagnosis in the LATAM region: challenges and opportunities.” 

The session was an opportunity for grant recipients to showcase their projects within MSIF’s 2024–2026 Learn, Practice, Share Programme and to share their learning with the wider MS community 

Across the region, these initiatives are already making an impact. In Chile, a navigation programme is helping people newly diagnosed with MS access clear information and  navigate a complex health system. Colombian, Guatemalan and Honduran projects are training neurologists, general practitioners, and medical students to recognise MS symptoms, improve referral pathways, and reduce diagnostic delays. In Peru, outreach activities are bringing diagnosis services to underserved regions of the country, with specialist teams traveling from Lima to regional hospitals to assess suspected cases. 

 These projects will continue through to September 2026, with the shared aim of improving access to timely and accurate diagnosis across the region. 

Presenting at the main congress also strengthened the confidence and leadership of MS organisation representatives, reinforcing the value of patient experiences in shaping change.   

Representative?  ‘I believe that being involved in an environment like LACTRIMS positively reinforces confidence as a leader of a patient organisation; these spaces allow us to reach other areas not as patients, but as their representatives, with a clear vision’

Looking ahead  

LACTRIMS now enters a new chapter under the leadership of Dr. Liliana Patrucco from Argentina, who will host the next congress in Buenos Aires in 2028. 

 Dr Patrucco will also join MSIF’s International Medical and Scientific Expert Group (IMSEG)  Executive Committee as the new president of LACTRIMS. IMSEG advises on matters related to international MS research with expertise from the global medical and research communities for MS.  

A shared commitment to progress 

From research breakthroughs to community-led innovation, the congress demonstrated the power of collaboration and shared learnings across Latin America and beyond. MSIF looks forward to continuing this momentum and to seeing the global MS community come together again in Buenos Aires in 2028.