May 1, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Stem cell therapy, early Aubagio use, DMTs Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Today I’ll focus on stories from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2023 Annual Meeting, held April 22-27 in Boston. Hereās a look at…
April 28, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias If you have MS, is it time to get another COVID-19 booster? Those with multiple sclerosis (MS) may want to roll up their sleeves again for a COVID-19 vaccine. I’m thinking about whether to join them. About 10 days ago, an advisory committee of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supported a recommendation that people 65…
April 24, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Yoga, vitamin D, myelin repair, fall risk Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Yoga vs. physical therapy The MS News Today article “Yoga better than physical therapy at improving…
April 21, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Lucky me, with light injuries after falling while riding a scooter Oops! I took a turn too fast in the parking lot of my condo the other morning and tipped to the left. And with that, my mobility scooter and I headed for a fall. Do you know the feeling when something bad is about to happen and there’s nothing…
April 17, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: EBV vaccine trial, DMT costs, Mavenclad, evobrutinib Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: EBV vaccine trial could start in 2024 The MS News Today story “Vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus…
April 14, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Will layoffs at Biogen affect its focus on multiple sclerosis treatments? Biogen has been a top dog in the multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment field for decades. The pharmaceutical giant developed Avonex (interferon beta-1a), approved in the U.S. in 1996 as one of the first disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS. I remember how excited I was to be…
April 10, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Sativex, Octopus ‘mega-trial’, Ocrevus, snuff Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Good patient reviews for Sativex Sativex (nabiximols) is an oral cannabinoid spray designed to ease MS…
April 7, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias What my spring training looks like with MS My exercise routine was first disrupted by the pandemic. Then Hurricane Ian landed a right hook on the exercise room in my Florida community, knocking it out of action. But not long after that, my thoughts were turning to something sweeter ā pitchers and catchers returning to spring…
April 3, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Orelabrutinib, foralumab, diets, coffee and tea Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column in which I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: A positive report on orelabrutinib Orelabrutinib is one of several experimental Brutonās tyrosine kinase (BTK)…
March 31, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias That UTI ā was it caused by MS or was it the meat? Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have experienced urinary tract infections (UTIs) at some point. It’s a common problem with MS and can be caused by a number of things, such as the inability to fully empty the bladder or the need to self-catheterize. Symptoms can include urinary…
March 27, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News Notes: Briumvi, COVID-19, PML, disability rights victory Note: This column was updated March 30, 2023, to remove the statement that Briumvi is more potent than Ocrevus or Kesimpta as there have been no trials comparing the three therapies’ potency. Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column in which I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS)…
March 24, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Is preboarding travelers with disabilities a good thing or not? Boarding an aircraft before others is a small benefit to being a disabled flyer. For years, giving me a small start to get down the jetway ahead of even the most frequent of frequent flyers has given me time to get off the little scooterĀ I use due to my…
March 20, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Ocrevus, MDX-2201, online cannabis clinic, WHO Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column in which I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Study shows Ocrevus lowers risk of MS progression This seems to be just what the doctor ordered,…
March 17, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias 3 tools to help you choose the right MS disease-modifying therapy Choosing the best disease-modifying therapy (DMT) to treat your multiple sclerosis (MS) can be a tough decision.Ā When I was diagnosed with MS way back in 1980, it was easy. There were no DMTs to choose from. The first three ā Avonex (interferon beta-1a), Betaseron…
March 13, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: MSC-NP, GA Depot, AI and MRIs, aggressive treatment Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column in which I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: A different type of stem cell transplant When stem cell transplant is mentioned to treat someone…
March 10, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias A debt of gratitude to disability rights champion Judy Heumann You may not have heard of Judy Heumann, who died March 4 at the age of 75. Although she’s not directly connected to the multiple sclerosis (MS) community, you should know about her. Everyone who lives with a disability owes her a great deal. At just 18 months old,…
March 6, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News Notes: Briumvi, vitamin D, CNM-Au8 Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column in which I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. In this column, Iāll be highlighting more MS News Today articles from the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis…
March 3, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Let’s talk about MS fatigue and the effectiveness of treatment options Want to reduce your multiple sclerosis (MS) fatigue? Maybe we should talk about it. I’m talking about a fatigue treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which usually involves changing a person’s thinking and behavior. By talking with a therapist, sometimes on the phone, a patient develops an…
February 27, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Evobrutinib, a portable MRI, fatigue, depression Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. In this column, I’ll be highlighting some MS News Today stories from last week’s Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis…
February 24, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Lower-dose gadolinium now being used for MRIs with contrast If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), I’m sure you’ve had several MRIs by now. You’ve probably also had one using a contrast agent. The contrast agent is made from a rare earth element called gadolinium. Mixed with other chemical ions, it highlights lesions or areas…
February 20, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Remyelination, CNM-Au8, diet and bones Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: More remyelination research For years, most MS research has focused on stopping disease progression. In the past couple…
February 17, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias After 3 years, COVID-19 finally caught up to me It was bound to happen. Even though it’s been more than three years since COVID-19 reared it head in Wuhan, China, and even though I’ve had five of the COVID-19 vaccine shots recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ā two primary series doses and three…
February 13, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Older MS patients, Lucid-MS, dysphagia, MS progression Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a weekly Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Older patients and DMTs The title of a report by MS News Today‘s Patricia Inacio notes…
February 10, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias My way or the highway, some multiple sclerosis neurologists think Note: This column has been updated Feb. 15, 2023, to correct that Ocrevus is an infusion medication and is not similar to chemotherapy. Is treating multiple sclerosis (MS) really all about the medications? At least one neurologist thinks so, probably more, and I think that’s no way to practice…
February 6, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Tysabri biosimilar, diet, cognitive rehab, aging Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a weekly Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Tysabri biosimilar on the horizon Tysabri (natalizumab) is a very effective disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for…
February 3, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias A Primer on ABLE Accounts for Americans With Disabilities Have you ever heard of an ABLE savings account? I hadn’t until a couple weeks ago. The acronym stands for the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, a law passed by the U.S. Congress in 2014. It created special savings accounts that allow disabled Americans, including people with…
January 30, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News Notes: Myelin, SAR443820, Teenagers and Sleep, NICE Standards Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a weekly Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: A protein to restore myelin? I usually don’t like to comment on stories about mouse studies, because…
January 27, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Does Marijuana Help Your MS Symptoms, or Is It an Illusion? A recent question on the MS News Today Facebook page generated some buzz about getting a buzz on to treat your multiple sclerosis (MS). The question was, “What helps you the most to manage your daily life with MS?” Many people with MS said the thing that helped…
January 23, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News Notes: Tascenso ODT Approval, Baclofen Disdain, Myelin Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Gilenya alternative The disease-modifying therapy (DMT) Gilenya (fingolimod) has been around since 2010. Now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has…
January 20, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Could the Key to New MS Treatments Be in Outer Space? As you read this, a group of scientists is doing multiple sclerosis (MS) research high above the earth. Their laboratory is in orbit about 250 miles up, aboard the International Space Station. Working with researchers at the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), astronauts have been helping…