May 31, 2023 News by Andrea Lobo, PhD CMSC updates core values to more actively address inequalities in care In an effort to improve access to medical care for all people with multiple sclerosis (MS), the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) has announced new initiatives to address disparities and inequality in MS care. The consortium is incorporating a new statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)…
November 22, 2021 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Lesser Right-hand Dominance May Be Linked to More Severe MS Inconsistently switching between hands for most common manual activities ā or naturally choosing the left rather than the right hand ā may be associated with more severe multiple sclerosisĀ (MS), either in the form of younger age at diagnosis or progressive type, particularly in women, a small study suggests. These…
June 19, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD CMSC Meeting Focuses on Challenges, Solutions to Quality of Life Issues Nearly 3,000 multiple sclerosis (MS) healthcare providers and researchers Ā convened recently to share their findings regarding the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of MS. However, unlike past meetings, this year’s 34th Annual Meeting of theĀ Consortium of MS Centers (CMSC) took place online. Virtual presentations covered the…
April 30, 2020 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD CMSC 2020 Meeting Will Be Free and Online May 26-29 To ensure the safety of its participants during the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual MeetingĀ will be a free virtual conference on May 26ā29. This meeting is considered the largest educational conference in North America for healthcare professionals working in multiple sclerosis…
April 9, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS New Database to Compile COVID-19 Data About People with MS and Related Diseases The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society have created a new database to track COVID-19 infections in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and related diseases. The database, calledĀ COViMS (COVID-19 Infections in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Diseases),…
February 27, 2020 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc NeurologyLive, CMSC Offer Panel Series on Changes in MRI Guidelines for MS NeurologyLive, a multimedia platform for specialists in that field, partnered with the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)Ā for its recent video series on changes inĀ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol and guidelines for treating and managingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). This āPeer Exchangeā panel discussion includes four specialists in neurology…
January 17, 2020 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc CMSC Announces 4 Winners of Pilot Research Awards for 2019 TheĀ Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) named four scientists the winners of itsĀ Pilot Research Award for 2019, given to support projects thought to advance the CMSCās mission and improve the lives of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The awards, supported by EMD Serono (known as Merck…
December 4, 2019 News by Catarina Silva CMSC Joins NeurologyLive Program for Specialists Caring for Those with MS, Like Diseases NeurologyLive, a platform for healthcare specialists, has added The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) to its Strategic Alliance Partnership program that works to share insights and experiences to benefit people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their families. A collaborative mix of neurological centers, networks, and…
October 9, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD CMSC Grant to Support Kessler Foundation Study of Low-risk Exercise in MS The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) has awarded a grant to Kessler Foundation researchers, supporting a pilot study into how well different low-risk exercise regimens ease multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms and improve patients’ well-being. The grant recipients areĀ John DeLuca, PhD, senior vice president for…
July 15, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD CMSC Opens Weeklong Mental Health Program to Help Mentor and Train MS Specialists The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), working with the Foundation of the CMSC (FCMSC) and EMD Serono, launched a new Mental Health Mini-Mentorship Program to help clinicians better understand the psychological and mental health challenges that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) face on a daily…
June 19, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Lemtrada Lowers Levels of Nerve Damage Biomarker Better Than Rebif, Trial Data Show Treatment with Sanofi GenzymeāsĀ LemtradaĀ (alemtuzumab) for up to two years lowers the levels of serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL), a proposed biomarker of nerve damage, in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS) patients to levels comparable to those seen in healthy people, data from the CARE-MS I study shows. Lemtradaās effectiveness…
June 4, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Vumerity’s Safety, Effectiveness Bolstered by New Data from EVOLVE-MS-1 Trial Vumerity (diroximel fumarate), taken as a 462 milligram (mg) tablet twice daily, significantly decreases disease activity in patients withĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosisĀ (RRMS), and leads to low rates of gastrointestinal side effects, new interim data of Phase 3 trial EVOLVE-MS-1 show. The findings were presented at the 2019 Consortium…
May 28, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Experts Gather for Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Annual Meeting The latest research in multiple sclerosis (MS), along with the most recent advancements in treatment strategies and comprehensive care, will be presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting, which beings today. Running through June 1 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, the…
April 4, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS CMSC Announces Technology Contests to Improve MS Patients’ Quality Of Life TheĀ Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) announced two contests that will be featured at itsĀ Annual Meeting, May 28āJune 1 in Seattle, Washington. The contests, calledĀ āDesign for Rehabilitation ā Take the Challenge” and “CMSC Neuroinnovator,ā are aimed at creating new technologies to improve the quality of…
May 15, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #CMSC2018 – Julie Roberts, Country Music Singer and MS Advocate, Performing at CMSC Meeting Julie Roberts, a country music singer and multiple sclerosis (MS) patient advocate, will perform at the upcomingĀ Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)ās annual meeting,Ā the association announced Roberts, diagnosed with MS while making her second recording in 2005, will also attend CMSC sessions to learn more about…
April 9, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD #CMSC2018 – Closing Lecture to Focus on Best Use of DMTs When and how to best use disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) inĀ multiple sclerosisĀ depends on key treatment decisions that, partly because the number of DMTs available, can be as challenging for clinicians as they are for patients. DMTs and their optimal use will be covered in the closing lecture of the…
March 28, 2018 News by Larry Luxner Ocrevus a Year After Approval: Views of Some MS Experts A year after U.S. regulators approved Genentech’sĀ Ocrevus (ocrelizumab)Ā as the first treatment for both the relapsing and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis, a prominent neurologist involved in the Phase 3 clinical trials that led to its authorization says it has been beneficial for some MS patients. But itās simply…
March 23, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Puts Together a Special MS Month Agenda The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) is partnering with a number of organizations duringĀ Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in March toĀ provide education, research and services to the MS community. CMSC is a non-profit organization that provides educational programs and resources to MS professionals, healthcare providers, researchers and the…
March 7, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Multiple Sclerosis Centers Consortium Develops Healthcare Associate Certification Exam The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)Ā has developed aĀ Multiple Sclerosis Healthcare Associate (MSHA) Certification Examination for all non-licensed, educated and trained medical personnel working inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). The MSHA Certification Examination provides formal recognition of a specialized body of knowledge felt to be necessary to provide optimal…
January 29, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Registrations Open for Upcoming Nashville CMSC 2018 Meeting Registrations are now open for the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), set for May 30-June 2 at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The CMSC Annual Meeting is the nation’s largest educational conference and professional development event for healthcare practitioners, researchers and…
December 6, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National MS Society Endorses US-Canada Registry Aiming to Advance Research and Patient Care The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has endorsed the North American Registry for Care and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, a collaborative effort involving other multiple sclerosis registries, clinicians, researchers and patients in the U.S. and parts of Canada. NARCRMS is a public-private partnership, bringing together academia, industry, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations with an interest in MS. It operates under the auspices of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers. It consists of a database of clinical records and patient-centered outcomes, providing clinicians and scientists with a greater and more integrated ability to track the incidence, prevalence and course of MS. Like many registries, NARCRMSĀ includes data collected by physicians, like neuroimaging scans, genetic markers, cognitive assessments and specimen collection, and testing for identification of biomarkers of disease progression.Ā It also adds patient-reported outcomes focused on disease challenges and impacts on daily life. Its goal is to improve the understanding of MS, facilitate multi-level care, and aid inĀ recruiting patients into clinical trials. NARCRMS is the first open-source database to connect MS centers across North America to regional databases by state, region and zip code.Ā To date, NARCRMS has recruited 10 centers, with another three in the process of coming aboard, and has enrolled 113 patients. The registry builds onĀ North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS), the oldest patient-driven registry in the U.S. using patient experiences to advance MS clinical care and life quality. NARCOMS was created in 1993 by the CMSC. More than 37,500 people had joined the registry as of 2015. Researchers used NARCOMS data on 2014 to report on outcomes in switching treatments, therapy effectiveness, disease progression, co-existing conditions, and other topics that help understand the MS experience.
November 21, 2017 News by Larry Luxner Patients Tell Their Stories in Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers’ Online Videos Maryland special education teacher Ingrid Hanson says that since she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis five years ago, sheās developed a better understanding of her students’ needs and the importance of teamwork. Flavia Nelson helps treat MS in the Hispanic community in Houston. Flavia Nelson, an MS…
October 18, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Revises MRI Guidelines The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers has updated guidelines for using magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate people suspected of having multiple sclerosis. Doctors use the MRI guidelines not only to diagnose MS but also to track treatment results. A task force is reviewing the new guidelines before they're published. The working document is called Ā "Revised Guidelines of the CMSC MRI Protocol for the Diagnosis and Follow-up of MS." The task force, composed of neurologists, radiologists and imaging scientists experienced in MS, met in January 2017 to revise the guidelines. They also updated information about the situations for which standardized brain and spinal cord MRI scans should be used. One change is a recommendation that gadolinium, a contrast agent in scans, be used cautiously. The previous update, published in 2015, included no constraints on the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents.Ā But soon after publication, information emerged showing that gadolinium, although not toxic, accumulates in the brain. This prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to recommend limiting the use of gadolinium to āappropriate clinical circumstances.ā To mirror the increased awareness of gadolinium deposits, the new guidelines say: āWhile there is no known central nervous system toxicity, these agents should be used judiciously, recognizing that gadolinium continues to play an invaluable role in specific circumstances related to the diagnosis and follow-up of individuals with MS.ā Since 2009, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers has addressed a number of other issues. One is encouraging the use of three-dimensional MRI for brain scans. Another is developing protocols for monitoring severe optic nerve inflammation and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML, a brain disease caused by a virus. The guidelines have been revised to recommend the specific timing of scans for monitoring PML. The update also includes recommendations for theĀ timing of scans on patients receiving disease-modifying drugs. Since 2009, the guidelines have included recommendations on scans of radiologic isolated syndrome, a condition where MS-like MRI lesions are present without symptoms. And they have included provisions onĀ the value of using MRI changes to evaluate treatment effectiveness. The centers' goal "is to standardize the MRI protocol and make these recommendations a useful guideline for neurologists, neuroradiologists, and related healthcare professionals during initial evaluations and during follow-up of patients with MS, and ultimately provide optimum care for those individuals dealing with this unpredictable disease,ā June Halper, the centers' chief executive officer, said in a press release.
August 4, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Consortium Announces New MS Physician Assistant Special Interest Group The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) will form a new Physician Assistant Special Interest Group to provide physician assistants (PAs) with a specialized forum to exchange ideas and information on multiple sclerosis (MS) patient care. CMSC is an educational, training, and networking organization for MS healthcare professionals…
April 4, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Transcript of Interview with Dr. Robert Lisak, a Neurologist and MS Expert, About Ocrevus Here is a transcript of the Multiple Sclerosis News Today interview about Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) with Dr. Robert Lisak of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC). Lisak, a professor of neurology and of immunology and microbiology at Wayne State University School of Medicine, is aĀ former…
April 4, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Ocrevus Holds Promise, But Needs to Prove Itself in ‘Long Term,’ Says Dr. Robert Lisak with CMSC Interest inĀ Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), the first FDA-approved treatment for bothĀ relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis, isĀ running high among patients and the organization representing them ā as, arguably, are expectations ofĀ its use. But how do physicians involved in MS care view the newcomer? Dr. Robert Lisak (Photo…
January 4, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Survey Assesses How Health Professionals Treat Other Health Conditions in MS Patients Healthcare providers frequently assess multiple sclerosis (MS) patients for the development of other health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, pain and sleep disturbance, according to results of a survey-study. The study also includes information about how health professionals treat and counsel MS patients diagnosed with these conditions. The study, ā…
December 6, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Calls for Abstracts for 2017 Annual Meeting The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) is inviting researchers and healthcare professionals to submit abstractsĀ to be presented at its 31st Annual Meeting, focusing onĀ developments inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) research, patient care and treatment outcomes. The 2017 CMSC meeting, organized by the groupās Continuing Professional Education Committee, will take…
July 19, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Rehabilitation Specialist, Susan Bennett, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from CMSC The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)Ā has awarded Susan E. BennettĀ one of its highest honors, the Lifetime Achievement Award. Bennett, a clinical professor of rehabilitation science at the University at BuffaloĀ and pioneer in the field of MS rehabilitation, was honored for her achievements in advancing care…
October 27, 2015 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Emphasizes the Role of Physicians in MS Medical Treatment Decisions The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), an organization for researchers and healthcare professionals committed to multiple sclerosis (MS) care and treatment, has recently issued a position statement claimingĀ that prescribers should have the right to make clinical decisions on the best treatments and medications in each individual MS case.