The Ability of the Association Française Contre les Myopathies to Promote Research in Neuromuscular Diseases

The Association Française contre les Myopathies (AFM) is now one of the most powerful patient groups in the field of human genetics. This paper tells the history of this successful association, which supports research in genetics and muscle physiology or pathophysiology, and has raised awareness of the plight of neuromuscular patients. AFM has acted as a catalyst in promoting and boosting scientific advances by identifying bottlenecks, filling gaps, providing instant resources for innovative projects, and lobbying for new legislation.