International Huntington Association

The International Huntington Association (IHA) is a multinational federation of 32 member agencies that share common concern for individuals diagnosed with Huntington’s disease and their families. Member agencies promote health consumer and medical professional educational initiatives; individual and family support; psychosocial, clinical, and biomedical research; and ethical and legal considerations related to Huntington’s disease in their respective countries. Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited degenerative brain disorder characterized by irregular, involuntary movements (chorea); abnormal gait (ataxia); slurred speech (dysarthria); and progressive disorientation and loss of intellectual function (dementia). Established in 1974, the organization’s primary goals include promoting international collaboration in the search for a cure for HD; maintaining close liaison with research scientists who form the Research Group on Huntington’s Disease of the World Federation of Neurology; developing new educational materials and resources as well as sharing these resources with member countries; assisting in the organization of new national HD groups and development of existing organizations; and publishing an international newsletter that is distributed to all members and to representatives in those countries where no HD group is yet organized. Educational materials are provided in a variety of languages including German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Norwegian, Danish, and Portuguese.