Canada

Among immigrants to Canada, the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) is higher for those who have spent a greater portion of their life in Canada, a new study reports. The study, “Proportion of Life Spent in Canada and the Incidence of Multiple Sclerosis in Permanent Immigrants,”…

Canada has one of the world’s highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the world, and this month residents are being urged to come together to raise awareness of and funds for people affected by the neurodegenerative disorder. May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in Canada, and…

Viatris has launched a generic version of low-dose Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) in the Canadian market for the treatment of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who retain the ability to walk. Called Glatiramer Acetate Injection 20 mg/mL, the product was approved in Canada as a generic of…

Novartis’ Mayzent (siponimod) and Kesimpta (ofatumumab) are gaining ground among multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies in Canada, according to the latest Spherix Global Insights’ report. “Following an eventful 2021 that included the launch of two new brands — Novartis’ Kesimpta and BMS’ Zeposia — and generic versions of Biogen’s…

The MS Society of Canada‘s virtual MS Read-a-Thon event has been extended to March 20, giving children and families throughout Canada extra time to enjoy reading while raising funds for the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. The event, which began Jan. 27, seeks to generate $110,000 to…

Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) and Aubagio (teriflunomide) are the preferred disease-modifying treatments for managing relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Canada, according to a report from Spherix Global Insights. The report was part of Spherix’s RealTime Dynamix: Multiple Sclerosis (Canada) service, which collects data on market trends of MS…

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) has partnered with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) to support a Canadian-led study investigating the earliest predictors of multiple sclerosis (MS) during the so-called prodromal period across diverse groups. A prodrome is a set of signs or symptoms that…

This year’s Women Against Multiple Sclerosis (WAMS) Gala, which aims to raise funds for multiple sclerosis (MS) research, will take place Nov. 5. In order to keep participants safe in the setting of the ongoing pandemic, the MS Society of Canada‘s initiative will feature three events held virtually:…

People who develop colon cancer are more likely to die in the first year, from that cancer or other causes, if they also have multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study indicates. MS disability seems to contribute to this association. “These results warrant further investigation to determine what factors may…

Accessing healthcare providers knowledgeable about multiple sclerosis (MS) and being able to afford additional services to improve overall health were the most pressing healthcare concerns among Canadians with the condition, a survey suggests. “These findings provide healthcare planners prioritized concerns and a profile of [people with MS] that have…

Belong.Life, a developer of a networking platforms that help patients navigate and manage their disease, has added a French language option in its BelongMS app for the French-speaking Canadian community. BelongMS is a free mobile app that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to support the multiple sclerosis (MS)…

Mayzent (siponimod) and Zeposia (ozanimod), the two sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators most recently approved in Canada for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), showed strong launches in the country, according to the latest Spherix Global Insights’ report. However, due to several internal and external factors, sustained relevance of these…

Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosed with breast cancer are not at a higher risk of dying from cancer than women without the neurodegenerative disorder, according to a Canadian population-based study. However, 10 years after their breast cancer diagnosis, women with MS were 28% more likely to die from any…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are at a higher risk of developing and dying from bladder cancer than people without the neurodegenerative disorder, according to a Canadian population-based study. However, no differences were found between MS patients and unaffected individuals in terms of their risk of breast and…

Eligible people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) now have access to Mavenclad (cladribine) through seven provincial public drug plans in Canada, including the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) and the Ontario Drug Benefit Exceptional Access Program. The oral treatment now is available through public drug programs…

Health Canada has approved Zeposia (ozanimod), an oral daily treatment for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in the country. Approval does not assure that Zeposia will be available to Canadian patients at no or low cost, as publicly funded prescription plans are largely administered by each…

Immigrants with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Ontario use public health services as much as long-term residents, but are more likely to be hospitalized during the year in which they are diagnosed, according to a recent study. While reasons for that year’s higher hospitalization rates are not clear, evidence supports…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine initiative is offering a free virtual exercise and social connection program to individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions, according to a press release. Called NeuroSask, the initiative is in collaboration with…

EHP-101, a cannabidiol-derived investigational therapy being developed by Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (EHP) to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), is not a controlled substance in Canada, the company announced. The active ingredient in EHP-101 is a derivative of cannabidiol, abbreviated CBD. This is one of the most well-known active compounds in…

The neurotechnology company Helius Medical Technologies has received authorization from Health Canada to market its portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device to treat gait deficit in patients with mild-to-moderate multiple sclerosis…

Older age, a greater number of health conditions, and prior hospital admissions are associated with more hospitalizations due to all causes among people with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, MS-related hospitalizations decrease as patients age, and are less frequent among women, according to a study analyzing more than two decades…

Health Canada has approved Novartis‘s Mayzent (siponimod) for the treatment of adults with active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) to delay the progression of physical disability. Active disease is determined either by the presence of relapses or magnetic resonance imaging features characteristic of inflammatory activity. Multiple sclerosis (MS)…

The agency in charge of health and social services for Quebec, known as the Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS), is recommending that Mavenclad (cladribine) be offered at discount to adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) enrolled in the province’s health system. INESSS’ opinions…

Having other health conditions, or comorbidities, along with multiple sclerosis (MS) does not increase a person’s risk of being hospitalized due to MS-specific symptoms, although it does raise the rate of all-cause hospital admissions, a study found.  The finding was described…

The growing reliance on disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) to treat people with multiple sclerosis (MS) has led to fewer hospitalizations but not a drop in the number of physician visits, a population study of DMTs and their impact on healthcare use in Canada reports. The study, “Association between…

People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) across Canada are a major step closer to having access to EMD Serono’s Mavenclad (cladribine). EMD Serono, known as Merck KGaA outside of North America, has finish negotiations with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) that oversees new drugs coming in,…

The Government of Alberta is investing CA$1 million into a research project that will follow for years a group of people with multiple sclerosis — with varying disease types and at differing stages — to better understand progression in MS. The province’s contribution brings to more than CA$10 million (about…

Pharmascience recently launched pms-Fingolimod, a generic version of Novartis’ Gilenya (fingolimod), to treat adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Canada. The new generic is now available in that country, and has demonstrated efficacy and safety similar to Gilenya. Generic medicines are chemically identical to the original branded therapy, but carry a…

Teva Canada announced that Teva-Fingolimod 0.5 mg capsules, a bioequivalent generic version of Novartis’ Gilenya (fingolimod), are now available in Canada and approved by the country’s national health system called Health Canada. Generic medicines are chemically identical to the original branded therapy, but carry a significantly lower cost. Canadian…

Leading up to Canada’s Oct. 21 federal election, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is urging citizens to write their local candidates, asking for greater support of those living with the neurodegenerative disorder. Called #MakeMSMatter, the Sept. 4 through Oct. 21 online letter-writing drive is an effort to…