May 3, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Uncertainties of MS Challenging in Scary Ways: UK Patient Survey The uncertainties that accompanyĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) are among the biggest challenges faced by people with the disease, with two-thirds of patients in a recent survey saying “they’re scared for the future” because of such unknowns, theĀ MS Society, which conducted the U.K. survey, reports. āWe may all think the…
April 29, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Survey Results Show Impact of MS in All Aspects of Life Multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) affects all aspects of life, from physical and mental health to relationships, and from work and finances to hobbies and holidays, according to results from an online survey conducted by the U.K.ās MS Trust. Most respondents said they wanted more support to manage their fatigue, improve…
March 10, 2022 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD MS Trust Survey: UK Nurses Treating ‘Unsustainable’ Numbers of Patients The number of nurses in the U.K. with a specialty in multiple sclerosis (MS) care rose significantlyĀ between 2018 and 2021, but these specialists on average carry a patient caseload that’s 50% higher than recommended, as a pronounced rise in MS cases was also noted, the MS Trust reports.
July 9, 2021 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD 3 UK Scientists Win Challenge Awards for Progressive MS Projects Three scientists in the U.K. were given awards by the International Progressive MS AllianceĀ that will support projects aiming to explore new approaches to treating progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The three are among this year’sĀ 19 winners of the alliance’s Research Challenge Awards, which totaled Ā£1.2 million…
April 19, 2021 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Kesimpta Approved in UK as At-home Relapsing MS Therapy Kesimpta (ofatumumab) has been approved in the U.K. as the first self-administered, at-home, B-cell-targeting therapy for people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and active disease. More specifically, the approval includes patients with eitherĀ clinically isolated syndrome,Ā relapsing-remitting MSĀ (RRMS), or active secondary progressive MSĀ (SPMS), who have…
February 23, 2021 News by Diana Campelo Delgado MS Society in UK Commits to Raising $5.2M for Research The MS Society in the U.K. is hoping to raise Ā£3.7 million ($5.2 million) to fund research aimed at developing new treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS). The funds will support research at the Societyās Centers of Excellence in Edinburgh and CambridgeĀ over five years. āOur top priority…
September 8, 2020 Columns by Jessie Ace 5 Surprising Ways to Stay Cool Without an Air Conditioner People outside the U.K. might not understand this column, but thatās OK. Not long ago, we had an entire week with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius (86 F) in most parts of the country. We donāt have air conditioning here in the U.K., because normally it is hot only…
July 17, 2020 Columns by John Connor It’s a Matter of Timing and Mic Technique In the U.K., stand-up comedy is currently dead. Like Python’s parrot, it “wouldn’t move if you put 4,000 volts through it!” That’s not strictly true. Our government has just stumped up 1.57 billion pounds ($1.97 billion) to support the arts that were slammed shut by the crisis. Comedy is…
October 11, 2019 News by Mary Chapman MS Society in UK Opens ‘Stop MS Appeal,’ Ā£100M Fundraiser to Better Treat Disease Through its Stop MS Appeal campaign, the United Kingdomās MS SocietyĀ seeks to raise Ā£100 million (almost $125 million) within the next decade to advance research and treatments that will stopĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) progression. Over the next three months, the organization will run an extensive advertising campaign…
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…
January 15, 2019 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc UK Experts Propose New Guidelines to Treat Women with MS Before, During, After Pregnancy Multiple sclerosis (MS) experts in the United Kingdom have proposed consensus guidelines for the management and treatment of pregnant women with the disease, and couples affected by MS who are planning a pregnancy. The new guidelines are expected to reduce uncertainty about treatments that are considered to be safe and…
October 29, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Mavenclad Named ‘Rapid Uptake Product’ in UK with Goal of Speeding Its Availability in NHS Mavenclad (cladribine tablets, 10 mg) was one of the seven medicinal and medical technology products selected by the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) as a “rapid uptake product” ā a U.K. recognition that aims to bring life-changing technologies into the country’s National Health System (NHS), and to patients,…
September 26, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD DMTs Are Cost-Effective and Help to Slow MS Progression, 10-Year Study from UK Reports Four disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for Ā multiple sclerosisĀ āĀ Avonex, Rebif, Betaferon, and CopaxoneĀ ā are cost-effective and reduce disease progression in MS patients, especially those with relapsing-remitting disease, according to 10-year, real-world results from U.K.ās MS Risk Sharing Scheme (RSS). But the long-term benefits observed wane over…
July 18, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Quarter of MS Patients in UK Not Aware of Disease-modifying Treatments, Online Survey Reports A recent patient survey reveals that almost one in four people with multiple sclerosis in the U.K. are not aware of available treatments that could help delay the onset of disability, even though a clear majority put disability as a chief worry. TheĀ report, fundedĀ byĀ Sanofi Genzyme,Ā was conducted by Adelphi…
May 11, 2017 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD NMSS, British Partners to Launch Phase 3 Trial to Determine Efficacy of Simvastatin in SPMS Patients The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ (NMSS), together with its British partners, plans to launchĀ a Phase 3 trial in the next few months to investigate whether simvastatin ā a cheap drug that controls cholesterol levels ā may be a suitable treatment for people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). The trial,…
September 15, 2015 News by Malika Ammam, PhD UK Multiple Sclerosis Society Proposes Urgent Revision of the Current Disability Benefits System for MS Patients Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition which damages parts of neurons resulting in inefficient communication within the nervous system.Ā It is believed that autoimmune disorders and environmental factors, such as infections, can cause MS disease development. There is currently no cure for MS, although the disease can be managed by medications…
July 16, 2015 News by Charles Moore UK Government’s Progress On Improving Neurology Services For MS, Other Diseases Criticized The Multiple Sclerosis Trust — a UK charity dedicated to providing information for anyone affected by multiple sclerosis, education programs for health professionals, funding for practical research and campaigning for specialist multiple sclerosis services, says the recent Update on UK report shows little improvement in meeting key objectives for…
July 22, 2014 News by Patricia Silva, PhD NICE Turns Back and Approves Biogenās Oral MS Drug Tecfidera in the UK The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) gave a positive final appraisal determination to the use of the Biogen Idec‘s drugĀ Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) in adults for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), having turned back on their preliminary negative recommendation. TheĀ oral…