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Involving people with fibromyalgia in your research

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Category: Research Studies

Published on Monday, 21 March 2011 21:43

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We believe it is vital that people with fibromyalgia, and their parents and carers, are given the opportunity to influence and participate in research. FMA UK can help with research studies by promoting them to our social media channels and wider community, reaching thousands of people. We have supported many projects and continue to welcome new research proposals and studies.

Patient and public involvement in research is increasingly expected and often required by funders. By involving patients and carers, research treatments and outcomes are far more likely to meet the needs of those living with fibromyalgia and to be put into practice.

How we can support your research

Patient participation

FMA UK can facilitate the recruitment of participants to research studies where opportunities align with our vision and have the potential to positively impact the lives of people living with fibromyalgia.

Lay involvement (PPI)

FMA UK has an extensive network and welcomes researchers to provide opportunities for people with fibromyalgia and/or their carers to become involved in research in a lay capacity. This can include prioritising research questions, preparing lay summaries, reviewing research proposals, and being involved as co-applicants on research projects. We welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can support your work and ensure the needs and priorities of people with fibromyalgia are met.

We support all types of research from undergraduate and MSc dissertations through to PhD, NIHR, and other funded projects.

How to submit a research proposal

Please follow these steps to apply to work with us:

Our criteria for supporting research

We are pleased to support research proposals where the following are in place:

• A completed FMA UK Research Application Form has been submitted
• There is evidence of ethical approval from an appropriate body or, if applying prior to ethics approval (e.g. as part of a funding application), this is clearly explained in your application
• The research topic aligns with our objectives and has the potential to benefit people living with fibromyalgia
• There is good communication with the lead researcher throughout the project

If you are at an early stage (pre-ethics or pre-funding), please do still get in touch we are happy to support funding applications where appropriate.

Download the application documents

Please download both documents before submitting your application:

↓ Guidance for Researchers (PDF, 115 kB) ↓ Research Application Form 2025 (Word, 86 kB)

Once completed, please send your application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

After your study completes

We will check in after your study completion date to hear how things went and to receive any updates. We also welcome feedback on our process and any suggestions for how we can improve, please include these in any correspondence to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Attachments:

FMA UK Guidance for Researchers	[ ]	115 kB
Research Application form (2025.0)	[FMA UK Research Application ]	86 kB