April 16, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Patients deem AI-based ChatGPT more empathetic than neurologists When presented with medical information authored by neurologists or by ChatGPT, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) reported similar satisfaction with both, but said the artificial intelligence platform was more empathetic. That’s the result of the study, “ChatGPT vs. neurologists: a cross-sectional study investigating preference, satisfaction ratings…
September 22, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Have you struggled to find a neurologist who understands MS? A question that’s been bothering me lately is this: It seems that more than a few neurologists have a less than optimal understanding of multiple sclerosis (MS). Why is that?Ā In my four decades of living with MS, and during the several years I’ve written this column…
August 4, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD US neurologists satisfied with current RRMS therapies: Report Neurologists in the U.S. are largely satisfied with current treatment options for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), but opportunities remain for therapies in development, according to a new report by Spherix Global Insights. In the report series, called RealTime Dynamix: Multiple Sclerosis (U.S.), an ongoing survey of healthcare…
March 20, 2023 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Half of US neurologists expect to test Briumvi in the next 6 months Most neurologists in the U.S. are aware of the recent approval of Briumvi (ublituximab-xiiy) for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and about half anticipate testing the therapy in the next six months,Ā according to anĀ analysisĀ by market research companyĀ Spherix Global Insights. The therapy, developed…
August 31, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Stem Cell Transplant in MS: Patients Support, but Neurologists Hesitant People who underwent a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), many of them patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), were supportive of the treatment despite its high costs ā and hesitancy and opposition from their neurologists ā a survey study showed. Most surveyed HSCT recipients ā about 85% ā believed…
August 8, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Adding Nursing Care in MS May Ease Patient Depression, Anxiety Adding a specialized nurse practitioner (NP) to a neurologist-based standard care team was found to significantly lessen depression and anxiety in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a six-month study in Canada. People with multiple sclerosis ā dubbed “PwMS” by researchers ā who received the add-on…
July 21, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Abortion Bans Are Likely to Restrict Care for MS Patients: Researchers Note: This story was updated on July 25, 2022, for the headline to reflect researchers gave this information in a perspective paper, not a study.Ā Bans on abortion and other reproductive care limitations are likely to have a profound impact on the care of people with multiple sclerosis (MS)…
April 22, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #AANAM – More Diversity Needed Among Neurologists, Presenters Agree Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, April 17ā22. GoĀ hereĀ to read the latest stories from the conference. There is a lack of diversity among neurologists, who are disproportionately white men, but new programs aimed at inclusivity may…
February 5, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias Upper Body Health Also Is Important for People With MS My left hand was numb and weak when I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For years after that, symptoms above my waist seemed just as prevalent as those below it. Yet, there were no tests being used that measured my waist-up disability level ā nothing equivalent to the…
September 22, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Gilenya Remains Favorite S1P Receptor Modulator in US, But Zeposia May Catch Up, Survey Finds Among oral sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators for multiple sclerosis (MS), Novartisās GilenyaĀ (fingolimod) remains physiciansā favorite in the U.S., but prescriptions of recently-launched Bristol Myers Squibbās Zeposia (ozanimod) are beginning to rise,Ā according to a survey conducted by Spherix Global Insights. Also, COVID-19Ā not…
April 17, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias A Snapshot of COVID-19 and Disease-modifying Therapies Are people with MS more susceptible than the average person to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19? And if COVID-19 attacks them, what’s the likely course of their illness? What about COVID-19 and disease-modifying therapies? Doctors from around the world are collecting information right now to try to answer these…
April 14, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Ocrevus Use Still Growing in Europe But Challenges on Horizon, Spherix Reports Prescriptions ofĀ RocheāsĀ OcrevusĀ (ocrelizumab) among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients initiating or switching aĀ disease-modifying therapy (DMT) continue to rise in Europe, according toĀ a surveyĀ conducted byĀ Spherix Global Insights. Ocrevus, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody administered directly into a vein,Ā was approved in the European UnionĀ to treat active forms…
November 22, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Ocrevus Top Choice of US Neurologists for Active SPMS, But Mayzent and Mavenclad Gaining Interest, Report Says Genentech‘sĀ OcrevusĀ (ocrelizumab) continues to be the most prescribed medication to reduce inflammatory disease in people with active secondary progressive multiple sclerosisĀ (SPMS) amongĀ U.S. neurologists, even though Novartis’Ā MayzentĀ (siponimod) and EMD Serono’sĀ MavencladĀ (cladribine) were approved in March to treat this same MS…
October 11, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Mavenclad, Ocrevus Use Rising in EU as Injectables and Tysabri Decline, Spherix Reports Prescriptions of two multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) treatments ā Ā Merck KGaA‘s Mavenclad (cladribine) and Roche‘s Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) ā have been rising in Europe over the past six months, bolstered by greater market access and compassionate use programs, according to a survey of 250 EU neurologists run…
August 21, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Gilenya, Aubagio, Tysabri, Tecfidera Dominate MS Therapy Switches in Europe, Spherix Survey Finds Novartis‘ Gilenya (fingolimod), Sanofi Genzyme‘sĀ Aubagio (teriflunomide), andĀ BiogenāsĀ TysabriĀ (natalizumab) and Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) are the top disease-modifying therapies to which patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have most frequently switched in…
March 5, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein #ACTRIMS2019 – Stem Cell Tourism Poses Threat of Complications for Patients, First US Neurologist Survey Says Academic neurologists are seeing many patients with neurological diseases interested in or receiving unapproved stem cell-based treatments, sometimes with negative health and/or financial consequences, according to a U.S. survey of neurologists. The data were reported byĀ Wijdan Rai, MD, from Ohio State University in aĀ poster titled āComplications of Stem Cell…
December 21, 2018 Columns by Ed Tobias Shots, Infusions, or Pills for Your MS? There are more than a dozen disease-modifying therapies available to treat MS. Some are shots, some are infusions, and some are pills. Some are more effective than others. The marketing intelligence company Spherix Global Insights regularly surveys which of these treatments are being used by neurologists and…
March 26, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson My Unique Primary Progressive MS Diagnosis I have lived with the diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS)Ā for almost eight years. For many years prior to that diagnosis, I was confused by what could be causing my abnormal gait, extreme fatigue, blurred vision,Ā and trouble concentrating. During that time, I completed many diagnostic tests, dealt…
March 15, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD New Spherix Report Finds PPMS Treatment Increased Significantly in Past Year Since Genentech‘sĀ OcrevusĀ was approvedĀ a year ago, the treatment rate of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS)Ā has increased significantly. However, a closer look at the data shows that other disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are equally responsible for this increase. The findings were reported byĀ Spherix Global InsightsĀ in their new study…
November 17, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Nurses, Physicians’ Assistants Prescribe Antibody-based Therapies More Than Neurologists, Survey Shows U.S. nurses and physicians’ assistants prescribeĀ antibody-based disease-modifying therapies to their multiple sclerosis patients more than neurologists do, a survey indicates. The trend has been for the doctors to stick with interferon therapies, the study said. Antibody-based disease-modifying therapies are also known as monoclonal antibodies. They are designed to harness the…
October 19, 2017 Columns by Laura Kolaczkowski How Doctors’ Gender Can Influence Opinions on Healthcare Quality There are two doctors. Hereās your choice: One has a patient-centered approach to care, spends more time with you during appointments, and is more empathetic with your concerns. On average, patients under this doctor live longer. The other doctor spends less time in the appointment, struggles to listen…
September 18, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson MS Patients Deserve the Best Care As patients, weĀ deserve the best care for our MSĀ and we should accept nothing less. I have had many years of difficulty trying to find adequate MSĀ care since my diagnosis in 2010. I have gone from neurologist to neurologist, even before I knew my symptoms pointed to MS. My…
July 28, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS Therapies: What’s Hot, What’s Not Ocvevus (ocrelizumab) is off to a running start, Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) leads the pills and the four injectable multiple sclerosis drugs are being used by fewer MS patients. But Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection) remains the leader of the pack of the disease-modifying therapies. Those are…
July 20, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Ocrevus Is Popular Among Neurologists, but Insurance Is a Growing Concern, Report Concludes Ocrevus' market introduction is off to a stellar start, with nearly half of neurologists surveyed by Spherix Global Insights saying they are using the therapy ā the first ever approved for both relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Within six months, 80 percent of neurologists are expected to prescribe Ocrevus, according to a report in the second-quarter edition of RealTime Dynamix: Multiple Sclerosis by Spherix Global Insights. But insurance is having an increasing impact on treatment decisions, the report also found, according to a Spherix press release. More patients are receiving less than optimal care because of inadequate or inferior insurance coverage, and neurologists report that insurers have become more aggressive in managing MS patients. Surveying 104 neurologists in June, the report showed that physicians followed through with their intent ā reported in earlier surveys ā to prescribe Ocrevus as it became available. With Ocrevus being the first approved drug for primary progressive MS, these patients make up a sizable part of those receiving it. But patients with relapsing forms of MS represent more than half of new users, according to the report. Ocrevus was also, by far, the drug that neurologists had learned most about, and felt most excited about using, the report added. Most of the patients on Ocrevus were switched from Biogen's Tysabri or Rituxan ā a drug that, like Ocrevus, is also produced by Genentech/Roche. One in five patients was switched from an oral disease-modifying treatment, mainly Biogenās Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate). But for about 25 percent of Ocrevus-treated patients, the drug is the first disease-modifying therapy they have received. The survey also revealed that patients are the driving force behind new Ocrevus prescriptions. Seventy-one percent of neurologists receive requests from patients who want to start the treatment. While neurologists have to turn some of these requests down for various reasons, a large proportion of those who ask for the treatment receive it. Another insight from Spherixās āRealWorld Dynamix: DMT Brand Switching in MSā survey was that patients' requests for a specific brand are often honored. Seventy-seven percent were prescribed the brand they requested, the survey showed. Interestingly, neurologists believed the number to be lower. Most patients who made a specific request, the report indicated, asked for Tecfidera in the past year and a half. Tecfidera is by far the leading oral disease-modifying drug prescribed in MS. Meanwhile, according to the report, Biogen's Avonex, Bayer's Betaseron, Teva's Copaxone, and EMD Serono's Rebif continue on a downward path. At least 30 percent of neurologists report lower use of these therapies in the past three months. Patients previously on these drugs are mainly switched to oral disease-modifying drugs. But this trend is projected to slow, with only Sanofi-Genzyme's oral Aubagio (teriflunomide) continuing to grow. But the choice of treatment may increasingly be driven by insurance. Compared with the same quarter of 2016 ā when neurologists estimated that 14 percent of patients received suboptimal treatment because of poor insurance coverage ā 20 percent of patients are now judged to be in this situation. Also, 60 percent of surveyed physicians feel that insurance companies have become more aggressive in MS treatment management. A similar percentage also say that insurance policies influence how they prescribe specific disease-modifying drugs.
March 23, 2017 Columns by admin Benign MS: Is It Real or a Myth? What is benign MS? Does it even exist? Certainly it is not one of the types of the disease often listed as making up the multiple sclerosis family. It is a term that is surrounded by controversy,…
January 19, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Reports on MS Treatment Market Show Growing Shift to Oral Therapies The multiple sclerosis (MS) market shiftedĀ during 2016, with oral disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) capturing a greater share and Sanofi-Genzyme’s Aubagio (teriflunomide) being poised for growth, according to a press releaseĀ fromĀ Spherix Global Insights. The conclusions were included in the company’sĀ āRealTime Dynamix: Multiple Sclerosis,ā a quarterly report based…
October 13, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Neurologists Anticipate FDA Approval of Ocrevus as 1st Progressive MS Treatment, Survey Finds Neurologists in the U.S. expect ā or, at least, highly anticipate ā that Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), being developed by Roche as a treatment for both relapsing and progressiveĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), will be approved by year’s end, and a sizableĀ numberĀ plan on quickly prescribing it, according to a recent update byĀ Ā Spherix…
September 13, 2016 News by admin Study Focuses on Caregivers and Their Often Ignored, But Key, Role in Treating MS A new study from France delves further into the life of multiple sclerosis (MS) caregivers and how they are perceived by MS patients, physicians, and the caregivers themselves. The report,Ā “EVASEP: A Noninterventional Study Describing the Perception of Neurologists, Patients, and Caregivers on Caregivers’ Role in the Support…
August 19, 2016 Columns by admin Delays in Seeing Specialists a Growing Barrier to MS Diagnosis and Treatment There can be absolutely no excuse for anyone experiencing the first signs and symptoms of neurological conditions like MS having to wait a long time to see an appropriate specialist, such as a neurologist. Delays in seeing specialists is a complaint often heard from patients in variousĀ countries, and it…