ALS Network webinar series to continue in 2026 with expert speakers
ALS News Today joins as presenting sponsor of ASK ME educational series
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- The ALS Network continues its ASK ME webinar series for patients and caregivers.
- Webinars provide expert-led discussions on ALS advocacy, care, research, and daily life.
- An upcoming session will discuss the reauthorization of the ACT for ALS law.
The ALS Network will continue to host its ASK ME webinar series throughout 2026, featuring expert-led sessions on advocacy, care, research, and daily life with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
This year, ALS News Today will serve as the presenting sponsor of the free online series, which is designed to provide people living with ALS — along with their caregivers and families — with accessible information about topics affecting the ALS community. Each webinar features specialists and advocates who discuss current issues facing the community and answer questions from attendees.
“The ASK ME series reflects what the ALS community is seeking — clear information, trusted guidance, and meaningful connection,” Sheri Strahl, president and CEO of the ALS Network, said in a press release. “We’re pleased to partner with ALS News Today to reach more people affected by ALS and ensure they have access to timely education and resources.”
Upcoming webinar to focus on ACT for ALS law
The most recent webinar took place in late February and focused on ALS research and care. During the hourlong session, leading ALS researchers and physicians shared the latest scientific advancements and offered a preview of the year ahead. A recording of the session is available online.
The next webinar, taking place next Monday, March 16, at 6 p.m. EST, will focus on the federal Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act, known as ACT for ALS.
Signed into law in 2021 by President Biden, the bipartisan legislation aims to speed the development and availability of ALS treatments. It established programs to support data sharing among researchers, fund studies of ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases, and expand access to investigational therapies for patients who cannot participate in clinical trials.
However, ACT for ALS is set to expire soon unless it is reauthorized.
The March webinar will review the history and goals of ACT for ALS, highlight key achievements since it was enacted, and discuss why reauthorization is essential for the ALS community. Speakers will also discuss ongoing advocacy efforts from the ALS Network and other partner organizations to help ensure the program continues, and attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions during a live Q&A session.
The session will be emceed by Jerry Dawson, president and CEO of ALS United. Presenters will include Allison Nadeau, director of public policy and advocacy at the ALS Network; Jinsy A. Andrews, MD, of the Network of Excellence for ALS (NEALS); Andrea Pauls Backman of ALS Strategy Consulting; James D. Berry, MD, chief of the Division of ALS and Motor Neuron Diseases at Mass General Brigham; and Stacy Lewin Farber, ALS advocate.
Speakers and moderator for the March 16 ASK ME webinar on the ACT for ALS law include Jerry Dawson, Allison Nadeau, Jinsy A. Andrews, Andrea Pauls Backman, James D. Berry, and ALS advocate Stacy Lewin Farber. (Courtesy of the ALS Network)
Registration for the one-hour webinar is free and open to the public, and a recording will be available afterward through the ALS Network’s online channels.
Additional ASK ME webinars will be held later this year. The next two are scheduled for April 21 and May 21 and will address ALS research updates and palliative care.
“At Bionews, our mission is to provide people living with rare and chronic conditions access to credible information and meaningful connection,” said Anne FitzSimons, director of advocacy partnerships at Bionews, the parent company of ALS News Today.
“We believe Advocacy organizations like the ALS Network provide critical support to patients and help improve outcomes, so we’re proud to support their efforts to deliver vital resources to the ALS community,” FitzSimons added.
In addition to ALS News Today, Tanabe Pharma America, which markets the ALS therapies Radicava and Radicava ORS (edaravone) in the U.S., will serve as the series’ accessibility and inclusivity sponsor.
