The MS Wire – A Column by Ed Tobias

Ed Tobias is a retired broadcast journalist.  Most of his 40+ year career was spent as a manager with the Associated Press in Washington, DC.  Tobias was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1980 but he continued to work, full-time, meeting interesting people and traveling to interesting places, until retiring at the end of 2012.

In his weekly column The MS Wire, Ed covers a wide range of topics related to the disease, seeking to bring to light patient perspectives on the latest science, research and disease management news, as well as connecting with fellow MS patients about their own personal experiences in coping with the disease.

December 13, 2019December 11, 2019

Have You Joined the Conversations in Our MS Forums?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

About a year and a half ago, Multiple Sclerosis News Today introduced a forums section. It’s a great place to post a question or comment about MS, or to ... Read more

December 9, 2019December 9, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Gilenya Generics, MS Pain and Fatigue Toolkit, Profit Drives MS Meds Prices, MS and Sugar Link

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

FDA Approves Three Generic Versions of Novartis’ Gilenya for Treating Relapsing MS It’s always nice to hear about generics becoming available to replace expensive multiple sclerosis treatments. But I ... Read more

December 6, 2019December 4, 2019

I’ve Had Success with the Bioness L300 Go This Time Around

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

I used the Bioness L300, a functional electrical stimulation (FES) device, for about seven years to counter my left foot drop. I strapped it to my leg just below ... Read more

November 25, 2019November 25, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Immunoadsorption, MS Therapies Approval, Cannabis-based Capsules for Study, Pregnancy and MS

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Immunoadsorption May Be Superior to Plasma Exchange in Treating Steroid-resistant Relapses in MS Steroids may be an effective treatment for multiple sclerosis relapses, but they have negative side effects. ... Read more

November 22, 2019November 19, 2019

It’s Freezing and I’m Stuck on My Scooter

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

It happened on the coldest day of the season. It was 16 degrees F with wind chill. I was outside, using my electric scooter to take Joey, our cocker ... Read more

November 18, 2019November 18, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Mayzent in EU for SPMS; Depression, Fatigue, and Quality of Life; Acthar Gel; Soothie Cushion

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

CHMP Favors Mayzent as Oral Treatment Specifically for Active SPMS Patients in EU Mayzent (siponimod) is one of the newest disease-modifying treatments (DMT). I’m pleased that the Committee for ... Read more

November 15, 2019November 13, 2019

Is It Good that Google Is Crunching Our Healthcare Data?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Google has quietly teamed up with Ascension, one of the largest healthcare organizations in the United States, to process the medical records of millions of people. According to The ... Read more

November 11, 2019November 11, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: EU Lemtrada Safety Guidance, Targeted Treatment Project, SPMS Patients Unaware of Diagnosis

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

EMA Safety Group Advises Lemtrada Be Limited to ‘Highly Active’ RRMS Patients at Hospitals with ICUs I’m highlighting this report because, like several Europe-based doctors I know, I think ... Read more

November 8, 2019November 6, 2019

Top MS Worries Highlight the Need for a Comprehensive Care Program

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

What worries you most about living with multiple sclerosis? I’m catching up with a small survey by Can Do MS, an organization that promotes health and wellness education programs. ... Read more

November 4, 2019November 4, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Vumerity Approval, Low Antibody Levels in MS Patients, GA Depot Trial, Tecfidera Study

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Vumerity Approved in US as Treatment for RRMS and Active SPMS By my count, Vumerity is the 18th disease-modifying therapy (DMT) that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ... Read more

November 1, 2019October 30, 2019

My Lemtrada Journey: Observations at 18 Months After Round 2

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

It’s time for another update on how I’ve been doing with my Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) treatments. The bottom line is that I’m doing well. Lemtrada is a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) ... Read more

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Cognitive Impairment, Genetic Variant Risk Factor, Protein Biomarkers, Gilenya Study

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Higher Intellectual Ability, Early-life Physical Activity May Protect Against Cognitive Impairment in MS, Study Suggests The finding that physical activity provides a protective effect for cognitive abilities makes sense ... Read more

October 25, 2019October 22, 2019

Am I Too Old for Aggressive MS Treatment?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

A question raised by neurologist Gavin Giovannoni on the Barts-MS blog lit up my radar recently. Dr. G asked whether “elderly” people with MS should be treated differently than ... Read more

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Injectable DMTs, Ofatumumab ‘Success Story,’ MS and Night Shift Work, MS Biomarker Study

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

#ECTRIMS2019 – Are Injectables Inappropriate for Active Relapsing MS Treatment? Injectable disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have been around for a long time. I took part in a Phase 3 clinical ... Read more

October 18, 2019October 17, 2019

Pushing to Put a Symbol for Invisible Disabilities on Driver’s Licenses

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

This is not the week to tell me how good I look … even if I look and feel good. The week of Oct. 13 is Invisible Disabilities Week. ... Read more

October 14, 2019October 14, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Mavenclad and Ocrevus Use Rising in EU, Ampyra Patent Appeal Denied, Exercise and MS Pilot Study

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Mavenclad, Ocrevus Use Rising in EU as Injectables and Tysabri Decline, Spherix Reports I’m not surprised at reports that the use of Mavenclad (cladribine) and Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is increasing ... Read more

October 11, 2019October 8, 2019

It’s Not All in Your Head

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Several days ago, the headline “It’s All in Your Head” jumped out at me. The author of the Journal of the American Medical Association article, Matthew Burke, is a ... Read more

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Rituximab vs. Ocrevus

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

In this week’s column, I’ve changed the format a little to focus on one subject: rituximab. This is an approved cancer medication that some U.S. neurologists use as an ... Read more

October 4, 2019October 1, 2019

My Fortuitous Footwear Discovery: I Found the Right MS Shoes

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

The other night, I had an MS dream. In it, I was able to lift my left leg as well as I can my right one, regardless of my ... Read more

September 27, 2019September 25, 2019

Taking Vitamin D for Your MS? Use It Wisely

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) use vitamin D supplements. I’ve been popping a 2,000 IU tablet of vitamin D3 each morning for many years. And with good reason. ... Read more

September 23, 2019September 20, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Ozanimod, Achtar Gel, Onset Age Progression Link, Glial Cells Could Differentiate MS Types

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

In this column, I take a look at more exciting research from the ECTRIMS2019 conference this month. #ECTRIMS2019 – Ozanimod’s ‘Key Advantages’ May Lead to New First-line MS Therapy: ... Read more

September 20, 2019October 23, 2019

Neuros Say that Flu Shots and Other Vaccines Are OK for Those with MS

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

This is the time of year when my wife and I start thinking about getting our flu shots. We’ve already had the pneumonia and the older shingles vaccine and ... Read more

September 16, 2019September 16, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Stem Cell Transplants, Remyelination Agent, Tecfidera Study, Plasma Exchange and Tysabri-linked PML

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

It’s been a big week for interesting stories, as the annual meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) has just concluded. The conference ... Read more

September 13, 2019September 18, 2019

Stem Cell Program That Treated Selma Blair Closes Its Doors

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Richard Burt, MD, the chief of Northwestern Medicine’s immunotherapy for autoimmune diseases division, is taking a sabbatical, and the stem cell program he has headed for many years, which ... Read more

September 9, 2019September 9, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Cancer Medication Slows MS, Vitamin D and Myelin, Targeting ‘Helper’ T-cells, Vaccination Guidelines

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Ofatumumab Better at Easing Relapse Rates and Slowing MS Progression Than Aubagio, Phase 3 Data Show Ofatumumab isn’t approved as a multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment. It’s a cancer medication ... Read more

September 6, 2019September 4, 2019

Social Cognition: Does It Impact MS Symptoms?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Feeling tired, depressed, or anxious? Maybe it has to do with your social cognition. Social cognition involves empathy and recognizing the emotions that are revealed by someone’s facial expression. ... Read more

August 30, 2019August 28, 2019

Another Study Shows That Costs of Disease-modifying Therapies Are Zooming

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

It probably comes as no surprise to you that the costs of some of the most popular MS medications have been soaring. A new study by researchers at the ... Read more

August 27, 2019August 26, 2019

I Dreamed That I Was Walking

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

When asleep, many people dream they can fly. Some dream about being naked in public, failing an exam, or (gasp!) about sex. Last night, I dreamed that I was ... Read more

August 26, 2019August 25, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Rituximab Helps Reverse Boy’s MS, Top Secondary DMTs in Europe, Tricking Remyelination, Early MS Treatment Strategies

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Rituximab Leads to ‘Dramatic’ Recovery in Boy with Aggressive RRMS, Case Study Reports I dislike using adjectives such as “dramatic” when describing treatment results. I think they frequently blow ... Read more

August 23, 2019August 21, 2019

Are Your MS Disease-modifying Treatments Old School or New School?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Choosing which MS medication to use is one of the most difficult decisions for someone with MS and their neurologist. After 39 years with MS, and with four disease-modifying ... Read more

August 19, 2019September 11, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Dark Rimmed Lesions, Sativex in the UK, NHS Care Toolkit for Neurological Diseases, Wahls Diet

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Dark Rimmed Brain Lesions May Be Signal of Aggressive Disease, NIH Study Says Researchers in this study found that specific brain lesions, notable for their dark rims, may indicate ... Read more

August 16, 2019August 14, 2019

MS Progression’s Speed Tagged to ‘Smoldering’ Brain Inflammation

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

The presence of chronic active lesions in the brain may provide a clue as to how quickly multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms will progress. Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes ... Read more

August 13, 2019August 9, 2019

Keeping a Positive Attitude with Advocacy: Why I Write ‘The MS Wire’

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

This month marks the third anniversary of my column, “The MS Wire.” After writing two columns a week for most of those 156 weeks, it isn’t always easy to ... Read more

August 12, 2019August 27, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Solution for Lemtrada Complications, CBD Infusions, Vaccines and MS, Music and Exercise

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Autoimmune Complications Associated with Lemtrada Solved Using Anti-CD20 Therapies, Case Studies Suggest One of the concerns about the disease-modifying therapy (DMT) Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) is that it may raise the ... Read more

August 9, 2019August 28, 2019

Using Marijuana and Having Surgery? Tell Your Anesthesiologist

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

If you’re using marijuana and have surgery scheduled, take heed. In Colorado, where medical marijuana was legalized in 2000 and recreational use in 2012, medical personnel are discovering that ... Read more

August 6, 2019August 5, 2019

Trying to Stay Cool in a Heat Wave? A Fan Might Not Always Be the Best Option

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

July was unusually hot in much of the Northern Hemisphere. So, pull out your electric fan and use it to help your multiple sclerosis (MS) beat that heat and ... Read more

August 5, 2019August 5, 2019

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: 3D and Early MRIs, Memory Training, Ponesimod Trial

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

3D Imaging of Brain Lesions May Spot Those Most Likely to Heal, Guiding Treatment These scientists are working to create a new diagnostic tool that would allow doctors to ... Read more

August 2, 2019July 31, 2019

Using the Floodlight App to Track My MS

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been using an app called Floodlight to track my ability to live with my multiple sclerosis (MS). It measures things such as my ... Read more

July 30, 2019July 26, 2019

Getting Back in the Water with My MS

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

After a week of temperatures at 95 degrees or more making it too hot to swim, today was comfortable enough for me to get back into our condo’s pool. ... Read more

July 29, 2019July 29, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Chronic Itching, Standing Therapy, Gut Microbes

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Neuronal Circuit Likely Behind Chronic Itch in MS and Other Diseases Identified I often read posts on multiple sclerosis social media groups complaining about chronic itching. This mouse study ... Read more