Asthma UK has won an award at the 2005 Science Communication Awards, held by the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC).

Asthma UK won the award for engaging patients, with a report and accompanying DVD of short films reflecting the concerns of people with asthma around research.

In the films, people with asthma speak about how their symptoms and treatments affect their lives - often to powerful effect, while the report outlines and explains Asthma UK's research priorities.

These materials were the outcome of 'Medicine & Me: Asthma', a symposium held in April 2004 by Asthma UK in partnership with The Royal Society of Medicine and the Independent on Sunday.

The event was unique in bringing together people with asthma, researchers and leading clinical experts. It aimed to make medical science more accessible to people with asthma and to enable health professionals and researchers to hear the views and opinions of people with asthma at first hand.

The AMRC is a membership organisation of leading UK charities that fund medical and health research. The Science Communication Awards promote good practice and information sharing among charities involved in health and medical research by highlighting examples of interesting and effective initiatives.

The awards ceremony was held on 8 June at the Wellcome Trust in London. Winners included the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

'We're delighted to have won this award, which recognises our innovative approach to engaging patients and bringing them together with the research and clinical communities,' said Amelia Curwen, Asthma UK's Director of Policy, Services & Research.

'We believe strongly in the value of involving people with asthma in all aspects of our work, as their experiences and messages are important and powerful in the development of our research work,' she continued.

'We are also planning further collaborative events in the future, and are creating more opportunities to increase public understanding of and involvement in the scientific work we do.'

Read more about 'Shaping the Future of Asthma Research'

For advice and information on asthma, call the Asthma UK Adviceline (08457 01 02 03, 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday)

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