AutoImmunity Community is a website dedicated to the millions of people who have either been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, or suspect that they have such a condition. This online forum is also intended to benefit friends and family members as well as those suffering from multiple autoimmune diseases. The purpose of this web site is to establish a community of people with similar problems and experiences in order to share knowledge and encouragement.

Please note that the founder of AutoImmunity Community and the forum moderators (unless denoted as Medical Advisor) are NOT medical doctors. This website was specifically designed by laypeople for laypeople. Therefore, any information included on the AutoImmunity Community website is never intended to replace the relationship that exists between a patient and his/her physician.

To create a safe and structured environment in which people representing all of the autoimmune diseases can come together as one community. United, we will not only find tremendous hope and support, but will also help the world to discover more about autoimmunity in general.

Barry Andrews is the founder and webmaster of AutoImmunity Community. After being diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis (MG) in June 2004, he searched the internet for a forum or newsgroup to share information with other MG patients. He quickly realized that there was not only a lack of a good MG forum, but of an autoimmune forum in general. For this reason he decided to get busy and create this web site for people like himself in need of contact with similar individuals. His goal was to create a safe environment to share experiences, information, and hope.

Since the establishment of this website in 2004, Barry has since been diagnosed with two more autoimmune conditions-Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and autoimmune hypogonadism. While the past years have included medication complications, surgery, and some difficult times, they have also provided an opportunity to learn tremendous empathy for others with illnesses. Therefore it is with the utmost compassion that Barry and his family members maintain and moderate this forum.

We are proud and honored to welcome medical advisor(s) to the AutoImmunity Community team:

Rhonda Gabr, MD, PhD

AutoImmunity Community is a private website. There is no charge to view the site or use its services. AutoImmunity Community has three sources of funding:

1. the founder's (Barry Andrews) personal funds
2. small advertisement banners at the bottom of the page
3. optional contributions from registered users of the site

AutoImmunity Community includes small banner advertisements at the bottom of each page as a source of funding. AutoImmunity Community does not endorse any of these advertisements and is not liable for any of the information contained on the advertiser's websites; however, AutoImmunity Community does guarantee that no advertisments for pornographic material will ever be displayed.

The advertisement banners at the bottom of each page are the only advertisements that are permitted on the AutoImmunity Community website. There will be no advertisments included within the message boards, either by AutoImmunity Community or it's users.

Users of the site are not permitted to post or display advertisements of any product or service that is for profit within the message boards. This includes posting URL's. All advertisements posted by users will be immediately removed from the site and the poster's user id will be revoked permanently.

However, if you are a reputable company interested in advertising on our site, please contact: