ALS Society of Canada

The ALS Society of Canada, founded in 1977, is a national voluntary health organization committed to the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and to provide support for those living with ALS. ALS Canada is committed to supporting research towards a cure for ALS, supporting the local ALS societies in their provision of quality care for persons living with ALS, and creating public awareness of ALS and its impact. The mission of the ALS Society of Canada is to fund research for a cure for ALS. From 2000, ALS Canada has been one of the partners of the Neuromuscular Research Partnership (NRP), which is an alliance between the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC) and ALS Canada. The Neuromuscular Research Partnership makes grants available for research into the causes, treatments, and eventually the cure for neuromuscular disorders. ALS Canada is currently funding a national clinical trial, which aims to affirm the effectiveness of lithium in slowing the progression of ALS in patients in the early stages of the disease. At nearly $1,000,000, the lithium trial is ALS Canada’s largest research investment to date. The lithium trial is being managed by a consortium of ALS clinicians in Canada called the Canadian ALS Clinical Trials and Research Network. The trial is the first joint effort between Canadian ALS Clinical Trials and Research Network and the Northeastern ALS Consortium in the United States.