Toward a Common Research Agenda in Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses: Proceedings of a Workshop (2024)
Chapter: Appendix B: Workshop Statement of Task
B
Workshop Statement of Task
Toward a Common Research Agenda in Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses:
A Workshop to Examine Common, Overlapping Clinical and Biological Factors
June 29–30, 2023 | Washington, D.C.
A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will organize and conduct a public workshop to explore the current understanding of, and future research opportunities for, infection-associated chronic illnesses. The workshop will focus on long COVID, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, persistent Lyme disease, and multiple sclerosis. Workshop discussions will consider the latest research and knowledge gaps in the following:
- Overlapping clinical and biological factors underlying infection-associated chronic illnesses,
- Current practice and novel technologies to develop urgently needed diagnostic tests for different stages of illness and/or the potential underlying infectious agent,
- Identification of therapeutic targets and strategies to prevent or impede chronic illness progression, and
- Coordination and collaboration among various stakeholders and practitioners that will increase research and enhance care across different patient populations.
The planning committee will organize the workshop, develop the agenda, select and invite speakers and discussants, and moderate or identify moderators for the discussions. A proceedings of the presentations and discussions at the workshop will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.
