The MS Wire — Ed Tobias

Rather than hiding from the storm, it’s better to learn to dance in the rain, as I like to say. Ali Stroker, who plays Ado Annie in the Broadway revival of the musical “Oklahoma,” has learned to dance in a wheelchair. She was recognized this week at the Tony…

You may have felt what Bethanee Epifani Bryant has felt in a doctor’s office. I think many patients have, but most of us can’t paint the picture of our experiences that Bryant can paint. And she paints it using words. Bryant is a poet. “I sit on the…

FDA and EMA to Review Ozanimod as Possible Oral Therapy for Relapsing MS Another disease-modifying therapy (DMT) is a step closer to gaining approval for use both in the U.S. and in Europe. And that’s good news. The discouraging news, however, is that once again, the approval is being…

I worked up a little sweat when I was exercising the other day. It was just a tiny bit on my forehead, but it was something I hadn’t felt in many years. I’ve lived with MS since 1980, and before now, I can’t remember the last time I felt sweaty.

Cyxone Nears First-in-human Trial for Investigational Preventive MS Treatment T20K Multiple sclerosis can be treated but it can’t be prevented — at least not yet. But these researchers hope that a substance derived from a natural plant protein called T20K will be able to ease or even prevent MS…

Did you know that not all magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams are of equal quality? Walmart officials know this, and they are concerned that poor exams given to their employees are costing the company money. Because people with multiple sclerosis are likely to have several MRIs over the…

The other day, a young woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) shared her worry in a Facebook group that her disease would prevent her from playing with her grandchildren someday. Her concern got me thinking about how I’ve handled my MS and my grandchildren. My granddaughter is almost 5 and will…

I rode a recumbent bike for 15 minutes today. That’s a record for me, and it felt great. The bike ride was part of an overall exercise routine that I’ve set up for myself at the gym. It mirrors what I was doing about 15 years ago, when I was…

I’ve met Humpty Dumpty, and he is me. I made that discovery the other night when I had a bad fall. It wasn’t off a wall; it was just off a chair, but it felt like I’d tumbled off Humpty’s high ledge. It shouldn’t have happened. I’ve lived with MS…

#AANAM – Biogen Offers Update on Development Plans for MS Therapies The pharma company that brought you Tysabri (natalizumab) is investigating a new process for treating multiple sclerosis. The treatment looks for something called neurofilament light chain (NfL), a potential biomarker that’s released from damaged neurons.

Dear Doctor, Why is it that you, or at least some of your colleagues, think that multiple sclerosis isn’t painful? Did you skip the med school class where they discussed MS? Are you not a neurologist, or are you a neurologist who doesn’t specialize in MS? Whatever the reason, this “MS…

#AANAM – RRMS Patients Switching to Lemtrada Report Greater Satisfaction with Treatment and Improvements in Quality of Life I’m a self-proclaimed secondary progressive, rather than a remitting, multiple sclerosis (MS) person. But a year after round two of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), I can agree with this report. Several of my…

When I read online posts from people who treat their multiple sclerosis (MS) with vitamins and supplements, I wonder how many of us do that. And if these supplements really help. The people at the Accelerated Cure Project, which surveys those living with MS about things such as this,…

Ouch! The out-of-pocket cash that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) lay out for their medications increased 20-fold between 2004 and 2016. That information comes from a study recently published on the Neurology website. Looked at another way, monthly out-of-pocket costs for MS meds rose from about $15 to about $309 over 12…

Women with MS Have Higher Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction, Study Reveals I’m surprised that someone felt it necessary to conduct a formal study of this. A glance at multiple sclerosis (MS) groups on social media, although unscientific, would suggest that this is a common problem. And if you’re going…

Robert Scola Jr. is a federal judge in Miami, and he’s just recused himself from a case involving the UnitedHealthcare (UHC) insurance company. The case is one of two filed in Miami over the last two months claiming that UHC has improperly denied coverage for a specific cancer…

There’s been a lot of social media chatter following the recent decision by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to initiate a safety review of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab). The EMA has restricted use of the medication within the European Union (EU) while the review is underway. That’s worrying some people who are…

Study Will Explore Benefits of Tai Chi, Meditation on MS Patients’ Balance I’ve tried yoga to help with my balance and flexibility and found it useful. But tai chi scares me a little — it seems too difficult. Maybe, if the results of this study are very positive, I’ll…

Former Vice President Joe Biden has been in some hot water recently because of his habit of hugging some of the people he meets. More generally, in today’s society, some of the casual social touching that once went on, particularly in the workplace, has become out of bounds.

People who cover medical issues often write about mouse studies. These stories can regularly be found on traditional news outlets, both broadcast and print, as well as online platforms. That includes the website on which you’re reading this column. I’m one of the mouse study writers, though I try to…