The Willis-Ekbom Disease Foundation

Announcements

This page is dedicated to current news and events about Willis-Ekbom disease (WED), formerly known as restless legs syndrome, and related topics. If you are interested in learning more about medical, scientific or research-based information, also see our Latest Research page. 

2013

• April 12, 2013 - Horizant Shortage
• February 2013 - Foundation Changes its Name
• February 5, 2013 - Champion of RLS passes away (Charlotte McCutchen, MD)

2012

• December 5, 2012 - Choose Your Move: Take Control of RLS Program
• September 23, 2012 - Press Release on RLS Awareness Day
• September 19, 2012 - FDA Announcement on Mirapex
• July 17, 2012 -- Neupro is now available!
• April 3, 2012 -- RLS Foundation announces approval of Neupro

2011

• April 7, 2011 -- RLS Foundation announces approval of Horizant.
• April 6, 2011 -- Horizant (gabapentin enacarbil) is approved by the FDA for the treatment of restless legs syndrome.
• The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives announces Brain Awareness Week is March 14-20, 2011. Visit www.dana.org/brainweek for more information and a calendar of events.
• March 7-13 is National Sleep Awareness Week. This is an annual public education and awareness campaign to promote the importance of sleep. Read more at www.sleepfoundation.org.

2010

• Motion Sickness: Restless Legs Syndrome Keeps You Going (Even if you want to stop) (The Boston Globe, May 17, 2010)
• One in six Americans is affected by a brain disorder such as RLS, Alzheimer's disease, migraine, autism, MS, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, ALS, stroke, and more. Make a film by February 16, 2010 telling your story, or the story of a loved one, affected by a brain disorder. Help make the case for why more brain research is needed to find cures. www.neurofilmfestival.com

2009

• Drive Alert and Arrive Alive! Drowsy Driving Prevention Week™ (November 2-8, 2009)
• WE MOVE Surveys Uncover Need for Education and Support for People Living with Movement Disorders (June 30, 2009)
• A Collaboration to Improve Diagnosis and Management of Parkinson’s Disease in the Primary Care Setting (June 2, 2009)
• Ignoring Insomnia Costs America $42 Billion a Year: Research Paper Examines the Burdens of Insomnia and Potential Solutions (May 29, 2009)
• March 20, 2009 is World Sleep Day (March 17, 2009)
• Drive Alert, Arrive Safe - Better Sleep Could Cut Serious Road Accidents By A Third (March 17, 2009)
• One-Third of Americans Lose Sleep Over Economy: National Sleep Foundation Poll Finds Inadequate Sleep Impacts Health and Safety (March 2, 2009)
• "I Slept Great Radio" to feature segment on RLS (January 19, 2009)  
• Compression Helps with Restless Legs Syndrome (January 14, 2009)
• Pneumatic Compression Devices Effective for Restless Legs Syndrome (January 13, 2009)  
• Exercise Reduces Periodic Leg Movements, Improves Sleep Patterns (January 9, 2009) 

2008

• Great press for RLS on The New York Times Online (December 17, 2008)
• Dates and Information for 13th International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Announced 
• New York Times article features Lynne Kaiser and RLS! (September 29, 2008)
• Ronald Dupont Jr. column: With this disease, the cure is worse than the illness (September 25, 2008; High Springs Herald)
• Woman Spreads Word About RLS (September 25, 2008; NBC5, Dallas, TX)
• Restless Legs Syndrome Awareness (September 25, 2008; First Coast News, Jacksonville, FL)
• Grove City Woman Featured in PSA
   (September 25, 2008)
• Diagnosis: Restless legs (September 21, 2008; The Sacramento Bee)
• RLS Foundation mourns the passing of Wayne Hening (September 17, 2008)
• Twilight Walk to Put Spotlight on RLS (September 17, 2008)
• The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation and National Sleep Foundation Give a Face - and a Voice - to Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) (September 17, 2008)
• Restless Legs (ABC Australia) (September 14, 2008)
• We're married, sleeping in separate beds (September 14, 2008)
• Support Group Leader Kathy Page featured on KOMU (September 11, 2008)
• Restless Legs: In Your Head or In your Genes (September 4, 2008)
• Chicago Tribune features Q & A on RLS 
• A Good Night's Sleep is Serious Business (August 8, 2008)
• The Restless Legs Syndrome Controversy: Funny Name, Serious Topic (July, 2008)
• Finding Relief in Groups (July 10, 2008)
• Restless Leg Sufferers Get Support (May 29, 2008)
• Without TV ads, restless legs may take a hike (May 14, 2008)
• Elderly More Likely to Battle Sleep Disorders (US News and World Report April 27, 2008)
•  
  Restless legs is a syndrome (KOMU Columbia, Missouri - April 15, 2008)
• Say goodbye to sleepless nights (Martinsburg Journal - Martinsburg,WV -April 15, 2008)
• Sleep disorder seminar coming to Temple, TX(April 15, 2008)
• Restless legs syndrome on Web MD (April 14, 2008)
• Restless leg syndrome hurts quality of life (April 7, 2008)
• Medical Edge: For sleep disorder, see a specialist (April 4, 2008)
• Meet Joseph Kenney (April 2, 2008)
• Can Insomnia kill? (March 30, 2008)
• Drugs, Dollars, & Diagnosis (March, 2008)
• New sleep lab open in Springfield, MA (March 19, 2008)
• A pretty body is great; a working body is better (March 14, 2008) 
• Take the Sleep Challenge! (March 13, 2008)
• Restless Legs Syndrome doesn't discriminate by age (March 11, 2008)
• World Sleep Day on March 14, 2008! 
• Children also suffer from RLS (February 19, 2008)
• Ask the Doctor (February 3, 2008)
• Brain Awareness Week Announced (February 2, 2008)
• The Organization for the Study of Sex Differences is convening its second annual scientific meeting from June 4-6, 2008 in New Orleans, LA. (January 22, 2008)

2007

• Attention Healthcare Providers: National Sleep Foundation opens registration for "The Role of Sleep in Memory and Learning" and their Young Investigators Conference. 
• Restless legs syndrome Time Magazine's R-discovery of the year!
• Question on RLS shows up in London Newspaper online (Time Online) 
• Detecting Restless Legs Syndrome (News 14 Carolina)
• Do you live near Washington, Georgia? Guest speaker coming (November 1, 2007)
• Restless leg syndrome affects 12 million Americans -- Austin News Piece (October 25, 2007)
• Support Group Leader Elizabeth Visone featured in Family Circle magazine. 
• Dr. Norma Cuellar receives award from the National Institute of Nursing Research for RLS research project
• Rotigotine Transdermal System Shows Significant Symptom Reduction and Tolerability in Patients with RLS 
• Chair elect Janice Hoffman mentions RLS Foundation on NPR. 
• Restless legs syndrome: Nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments (October 15, 2007)
• Restless legs syndrome: Demographics, presentation, and differential diagnosis  (September 15, 2007)
• KTTU Alaska: Dealing with Restless Legs Syndrome
• WE MOVE presents "Talking with your Doctor about Your RLS Symptoms." Real physicians will answer real questions from real patients in real time.
• RLS Awareness is on the move! Watch the Today Show segment online or Discovery Health's physician segment or one of these clips from Awareness Week: News2 This Morning. Midday News, Daybreak, or KRQE News 13 this Morning.
• Model of Health...A Wellness Column: Restless legs syndrome characterized by uncontrollable urges (September 14, 2007) 
• You make a difference! A recent "humor" column online mocked RLS, but the author wrote a second column after hearing from readers! Restless legs made me do it was followed by: Sheesh, ease up about the legs. Don't hesitate to speak out when you see RLS not being presented in an accurate light!
• Diagnosing Restless Legs Syndrome -- Fox News (September 10, 2007)
• Diagnosing Restless Leg Syndrome (September 9, 2007)
• Newsweek: "I know I am not the Only One"
• Restless legs in the genes, not the imagination
• RLS segment on The Today Show (August 16, 2007)
• Grandparents, older adults, encouraged to seek help for a sleep disorder (August 14, 2007)
• FDA has Questions about Requip CR 
• National Sleep Foundation announces "Drowsy Driving Prevention Week" 
• Actors Corbin Bernsen And Amanda Pays Reveal For The First Time That A Common, Neurological Condition Impacts Their Days And Nights Boehringer Ingelheim Launches RLS Initiative (July 19, 2007)
• Newron says phase III data on Parkinson's Disease delayed (July 17, 2007)
• Schwarz Pharma and UCB, Inc. Announce U.S. Launch of Neupro(R) (Rotigotine Transdermal System) for the Treatment of Early-Stage Parkinson's Disease (July 16, 2007)
• Neurogen may have help for sleepless (June 26, 2007)