December 3, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Online MS ‘Toolkit’ Created by University Psychologist to Help in Managing Pain and Fatigue Researchers at the University of Michigan developed an online tool to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) manage some of the more life-affectingĀ symptomsĀ of their disease. Called My MSToolkit, the tool is a free and web-based, self-guided program based on behavioral healthcare. It’s designed to help in managing…
October 30, 2019 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Unemployment Risk Factors in MS Vary with Age, Study Suggests Physical symptoms and poorer coping mechanisms are major risk factors for unemployment in younger and older people with multiple sclerosis (MS), while psychological problems have the greatest impact in middle-aged patientsā unemployment, a study suggests. These findings highlight that unemployment risk factors vary with age and call for interventions…
September 30, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD #ECTRIMS2019 – Mollii Suit Can Ease Muscle Stiffness and Improve Movement, Reports State Mollii, an electrostimulation suit, can help reduce muscle stiffness, or spasticity, and its associated pain, as well as improve muscle activation in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), cerebral palsy, stroke, and other neurological injuries, according to Inerventions,Ā the Swedish company that developed and markets it. With a few hours…
September 12, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell We All Have Bad Days Mama said there would be days like this. I just never thought there would be so many. After three days of insomnia, I am heavily fatigued and weary. I wait, bleary-eyed, for signs of pain to appear, watching the sunrise and praying for renewal. As if on cue, the birds…
August 8, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell My Pain Is Real ā Don’t Deny Me Relief I am quite outspoken. I have no problem voicing my opinion or needs ā or so I thought. An exchange this morning left me speechless. While my head was swimming with semi-intelligible responses, I was rendered mute. Let me just say that I have been on pain medication for…
April 9, 2019 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD U.K. Implements Stricter Rules for Gabapentin, Pregabalin Prescriptions Gabapentin and pregabalin now have more restrictive rules for prescriptions in the United Kingdom. Because of concerns regarding the medications’ misuse, both were classified as class C controlled medicines. It is now illegal to supply, sell, or possess these medicines without a prescription, according to a news release by…
February 28, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell It’s Important to Know Your Limits with SPMS I had a busy weekend. I made it to an event I had so wanted to attend and survived it. Our golden retriever rescue had a volunteer mixer, and both Abby and I enjoyed ourselves. Once home, Abby sacked out and I began nursing the inevitable pain. The…
February 28, 2019 News by Santiago Gisler Axim Improves Delivery of Cannabinoids in Chewing Gums Axim Biotechnologies announced that it has succeeded in microencapsulating cannabinoids (chemical compounds in cannabis) into the companyās patented chewing gums, which are used to treat several disease symptoms, including pain and spasticity associated withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). Since the active cannabinoids are degradable in the body, the company needed…
February 14, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein FDA Asked to Place Cannabis-based Therapy for Progressive MS on Fast Track, MMJ Holdings Says A request for a potentialĀ cannabis-based treatmentĀ forĀ multiple sclerosisĀ to be givenĀ Fast Track designation, speeding its development as it readies to enter clinical testing, is now before theĀ U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), MMJ International HoldingsĀ announced. MMJ-001, as this lead candidate is known, aims to treat…
December 14, 2018 News by Santiago Gisler MS Patients Report Beneficial Effects of Cannabis With Few Side Effects, Survey Shows Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients report that cannabis has beneficial effects on their symptoms with minimal side effects, according to a survey that also showed that varying effects on health may be due to differences in how users consume cannabis. Findings from the survey were reported in the…
October 26, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Stanford Researchers Open Medical Cannabis Company with Oral Therapy for MS Pain, Spasticity as Initial Goal A new medical cannabis company calledĀ Katexco PharmaceuticalsĀ aims to develop oral therapies that harness the brain’s endocannabinoid and nicotine receptors to treat inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Co-founded by two Stanford University researchers ā Jonathan Rothbard, PhD, and Lawrence Steinman, MD ā Katexco will leverage their expertise…
August 9, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD MedChew RX Shows Stability and Potential for Effectiveness in Early Tests, Company Reports AXIM BiotechĀ announced that tests done on itsĀ cannabinoid-based chewing gum āĀ MedChew RxĀ ā showed both product stability and effective release of medicinal molecules,Ā with a high percentage of itsĀ pharmaceutical ingredients available. These test results may be of importance, as the company is planning to bring MedChew Rx into clinical trials as a…
August 2, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Multiple Sclerosis Patients Identify Symptoms that Worsen Quality of Life Loss of health-related quality of life is caused mostly by balance problems, muscle stiffness, and depression in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS),Ā and for those with progressive MS, the causes are muscle rigidity, paralysis, weakness, and pain, according toĀ a…
June 29, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Sativex Relieves Pain in MS Patients, Italian Study Confirms Researchers confirmed that Sativex spray is beneficial in alleviating pain in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and also improved their pain sensitivity to cold temperatures. The study reporting the findings, āPain Modulation after Oromucosal Cannabinoid Spray (SATIVEX) in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Study with Quantitative…
June 25, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Axim Biotech Given Patent for Method of Making Medical Cannabis Compound Axim BiotechĀ announced that its way of extracting and purifying THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) ā an active compound in medical cannabis ā has been approved to receive a patent. The notice of allowance for patient No.Ā 15/146668Ā came in letter from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Axim said in…
June 13, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MMJ Bioscience Files Request with FDA to Open Phase 2 Study of Medical Cannabis in Progressive MS MMJ Bioscience, which specializes in medical cannabis products, has filed a request with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to open Phase 2 clinical trials evaluating the companyās THC/CBD pharmaceutical compounds as possible treatments for symptoms ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). THC refers to the tetrahydrocannabinol compound, part of the…
June 7, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc #CMSC2018 ā Pharmacist Discusses Advances, Challenges in Cannabinoids Research to Treat MS Several studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of cannabis and its derivate products to manage the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases. But there is still much to be done to enhance their use and accessibility to patients who may benefit from these therapies, according to…
May 10, 2018 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell My Scars Are Beautiful Our life experiences shape and define who we are. While some wash over us and dissipate, others leave indelible impressions. Both emotional and physical, our scars hold our past and influence our future. We are the totality of these scars and their narrative is powerful. Each is a chapter in…
May 8, 2018 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson My Solemn Truth on Pain and Suffering As some have said, āPain is inevitable; suffering is optional.ā I believe I am an optimistic, grateful, and spiritual woman. With that said, I must acknowledge that I have an irresolute reaction when I hear that suffering is optional. Suffering is defined as the state of undergoing pain, distress,…
March 22, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Evidence Supports Safety, Effectiveness of Medical Cannabis in MS, Cancer, Other Diseases Medical cannabis is a safe and effective treatment for pain relief and should be integrated into current clinical practice, according to a new evidence overview. Benefits also include reducedĀ spasticity in multiple sclerosisĀ patients. The overview, titled āSpecial Issue: Cannabis in Medicine,” was published in the…
March 20, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD GeneFo Guide Explains How Medical Cannabis Can Help MS Patients More studies are showing that medical cannabis can alleviate symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a company that helps patients, doctors and others understand genetic conditions better. The observation came inĀ GeneFo’sĀ 2018 Guide to Clinical Effects of Medical Cannabis. Some research has suggested that cannabis strains containing…
March 19, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Pain Affect in MS Associated with Physical and Psychiatric Comorbidities Physical and psychiatric comorbidities in multiple sclerosisĀ (MS)Ā patientsĀ are associated with an increased risk of experiencing more pain ā namely pain intensity and pain affect. The research to support that finding, āPsychiatric and physical comorbidities and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the Journal of Pain…
March 5, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Topical Medical Cannabis Cream Now Being Sold in Canada for Patients with MS, Other Conditions Registered patients in Canada can now purchaseĀ CanniMed Topical Cream, a product with medical cannabis oil designed to provide fast-acting relief for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions associated with pain and inflammation. The product is the result of a collaboration between Canada-based CanniMed Therapeutics and Avaria…
January 25, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Holland Approves Clinical Trial Plans for AXIM’s Cannabis-based Gum for MS Pain and Spasticity Dutch regulators have signed off onĀ AXIM Biotechnologies’Ā clinical trial plans forĀ a chewing gum that offers controlled release of cannabinoids to treat multiple sclerosis patients’ pain and spasticity. The Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board’s sign-off on MedChew Rx means AXIM can start trials. A leader in cannabinoid research, New York-based AXIM…
January 11, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Harvest One Plans Online Sales of Medical Cannabis for Canadians With MS United GreeneriesĀ plans to launch online retail sales of medical cannabis in February for Canadians covered by the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ā a program for which certain multiple sclerosis (MS) patients may be eligible. United Greeneries, a unit ofĀ Harvest One Cannabis, an umbrella…
December 20, 2017 Columns by Judy Lynn Free Your Fascia! One of the most frustrating aspects of my MS is a frequent feeling of tightness and pain. The sensations may be in my arms, legs, or even in the trunk of my body in the form of the “MS hug.” Gabapentin helps to keep the pain…
December 18, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: MS Pain, Your Bioclock, Remyelination Chronic and Neuropathic Pain in MS Patients Should Be Routinely Evaluated, Study Says The next time a doctor tells you that there’s no pain associated with MS, point them to this study. Yes, MS can cause chronic pain and, yes, the pain can be caused by nervous system lesions.
December 11, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Diet Rich in Fruits, Veggies and Whole Grains May Slow MS Progression, Study Shows A diet rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains may decrease symptoms and lessen disease progression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The report, āDiet quality is associated with disability and symptom severity in multiple sclerosis,ā appeared in the journal Neurology. āPeople with MS…
November 14, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MMJ Hires Lead Investigator for Phase 2 Trials of Medicinal Cannabis to Treat Progressive MS MMJ BioScience, an affiliate of medical cannabis research company MMJ International Holdings, has hired a principal investigator to lead clinical trials exploring potential therapeutic applications of cannabinoids inĀ progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, a neurology professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo,Ā is executive director…
October 12, 2017 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Good Days and Not-So-Good Days with Multiple Sclerosis Some days are easier than others, and some days are just not easy at all. Today I find myself in the latter of the two. Itās Monday morning, and my Sunday was insane: insanely busy, insanely fun, and insanely difficult. While…