MS in the Media
This is an archive of news and feature stories from the internet that may be of interest to people in the UK.
These stories are transcripts from the original sources (indicated on each page) and appear as published. They have not been edited by the MS Trust and views expressed are those of the authors or originating journal. The MS Trust does not endorse their content nor any claims made in them.
Stories are held on these pages for three months.
If you have any comment on the range or type of stories collected here, please contact the MS Trust.
Recent news stories
Risks 'taken' in illegal cord blood collections
09 March 2010
Parents, hospitals and private firms are being warned over risky and illegal collections of umbilical cord blood.
Immune system boost from Vitamin D?
08 March 2010
The Daily Telegraph has reported that "vitamin D 'triggers and arms' the immune system". It said that researchers believe that vitamin D plays a key role in boosting the immune system.
Vitamin D 'triggers and arms' the immune system
07 March 2010
Vitamin D is crucial to the fending off of infections, claims new research.
Scientists find why "sunshine" vitamin D is crucial
07 March 2010
Vitamin D is vital in activating human defenses and low levels suffered by around half the world's population may mean their immune systems' killer T cells are poor at fighting infection, scientists said on Sunday.
Success for pilot scheme
05 March 2010
An innovative scheme piloted in Surrey and Sussex, the first of its kind in the country, has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the lives of people in the area with multiple sclerosis (MS).
'It has absolutely changed my life'
04 March 2010
WalkAide device helps woman walk again after paralysis.
Researchers find further evidence linking Epstein-Barr virus and risk of multiple sclerosis
04 March 2010
First long-term study among individuals not infected with EBV suggests EBV infection likely to be a cause of MS, not a consequence.
Laws on mobility vehicles to be tightened
03 March 2010
Mobility scooter owners may have to take driving tests and buy compulsory motor insurance under plans being drawn up by the Government.
Chronic pain is a disease experts argue
02 March 2010
Long-term pain should be seen as a disease in its own right in order for the condition which affects millions to be taken more seriously, researchers said.
LDN study results published
02 March 2010
At long last, the results from the University of California at San Francisco study of low dose naltrexone (LDN) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have been released.
Stanford University halts CCSVI treatments after two serious incidents
02 March 2010
Researchers at Stanford University have halted treatments for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) according February's edition of the journal Annals of Neurology.
MS trial alert: study of oral teriflunomide (HMR1726) recruiting people at high risk for MS worldwide
01 March 2010
Investigators worldwide are recruiting people at high risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) for a study comparing two doses of oral HMR1726 (teriflunomide), an immune system-modulating agent, and inactive placebo.
Infection 'could trigger MS in those susceptible to the disease'
27 February 2010
An infection could trigger multiple sclerosis in those susceptible to the debilitating disease, a new study suggests.
Specialist nurse role 'critical to care'
27 February 2010
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is calling for every patient with a long-term condition to have access to specialist nursing care.
'It's a comfort to have the choice'
26 February 2010
Nicky Dalladay leans forward from the sofa to take the occasional sip of squash from a straw, using only her mouth. It is the only immediate sign of her severe multiple sclerosis, which in recent years has confined her to a wheelchair.
Motivation key over assisted death prosecutions
25 February 2010
New guidelines over whether people would face prosecution over assisting suicide place closer scrutiny on a suspect's motivation.
DPP publishes assisted suicide policy
25 February 2010
The public can have full confidence in the policy the CPS will follow in deciding whether or not to prosecute cases of assisted suicide, Keir Starmer QC, Director of Public Prosecutions, said today.
Call to invest in specialist nurses
24 February 2010
The NHS could save millions of pounds by investing in nurses to support people with conditions like Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis, a union said.
Cutting specialist nurses could cost NHS millions, warns RCN
24 February 2010
Cutting specialist nursing services for people with long term conditions would be a "false economy" that could cost the NHS millions, the Royal College of Nursing warned today.
Migraine linked to MS in women
21 February 2010
Women with physician-diagnosed migraine appear to have an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers found.
Villagers find therapeutic riding program alleviates multiple sclerosis symptoms
20 February 2010
To hear their stories, one might initially assume Cindy Berkovitz and Judy Heath wouldn't be physically able to ride a horse. Both women from The Villages have multiple sclerosis and both require the use of an aid - Berkovitz a scooter and Heath a leg brace - to get around.
Doctors should say what work staff can do instead of signing off sick: ministers
19 February 2010
Doctors should consider what work staff are fit for instead of simply signing them off sick, ministers will say.
Problem with postal delivery to the MHRA of completed Yellow Cards
19 February 2010
We have identified a problem with the Yellow Card postal delivery service. Some Yellow Cards have been returned to sender due to an error at Royal Mail.
Studies show marijuana has 'therapeutic value'
18 February 2010
Researchers from the University of California's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) have found "reasonable evidence that cannabis is a promising treatment" for some specific, pain-related medical conditions.
Exercise helps protect brain of multiple sclerosis patients
18 February 2010
Highly fit multiple sclerosis patients perform significantly better on tests of cognitive function than similar less-fit patients, a new study shows.
Lourdes a modest miracle
17 February 2010
Filmed in an austere, near-documentary style, Lourdes takes viewers deep inside one of the world's most popular religious shrines. Writer-director Jessica Hausner uses a multiple sclerosis patient as a sort of case study to show how the site operates as well as to question the sources of religious faith.
Drug linked to 35 brain-disease cases
16 February 2010
Biogen Idec Inc's multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri has been linked to four new cases of a life-threatening brain illness, a spokeswoman said.
Migraine tied to raised multiple sclerosis risk
16 February 2010
But overall odds are still low and headache sufferers shouldn't worry, researcher says.
Add-on daclizumab may reduce MS disease activity more than interferon beta alone
15 February 2010
Add-on daclizumab treatment might reduce multiple sclerosis disease activity more than standard interferon beta treatment alone, according to a study published online first and appearing in the April edition of The Lancet Neurology.
Jimmie Heuga, an early US ski medalist, dies at 66
12 February 2010
Jimmie Heuga, one of the first two American men to win an Olympic medal in Alpine skiing, and later a pioneering advocate of exercise and activity to combat multiple sclerosis, the disease that curtailed his athletic career, died Monday in Boulder, Colo.
Region handed key role in MS drug trial
12 February 2010
The North-East will be home to one of only three centres in the UK to trial a revolutionary drug for the treatment of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).
Research casts doubt on new MS theory
11 February 2010
Research released yesterday has further complicated a feverish scientific debate over the treatment of multiple sclerosis, finding that as few as 56% of MS patients show signs of a blood-vessel problem that a controversial new theory cites as the cause of the disease.
Health and social care services need to be more integrated and personalised says Care Quality Commission
11 February 2010
Services have steadily improved overall but rising demand and pressure on finances make reform essential, says new regulator.
MS study links narrow veins to disease
11 February 2010
More than half of the multiple sclerosis patients in a closely watched study had narrowing of some neck veins leading from the brain, researchers said.
Schoolboy's petition prompts move on MS link to vitamin D
10 February 2010
An international conference is to be held in Scotland to discuss the health effects of vitamin D - thanks to the efforts of a 14-year-old schoolboy.
Brain blood vessels clue to MS
10 February 2010
More than 55% of multiple sclerosis patients have been found to have constricted blood vessels in their brains, a US study says.
First blinded study of venous insufficiency prevalence in MS shows promising results
10 February 2010
A study by neurologist Robert Zivadinov has shown that the narrowing of extracranial veins is, at the very least, an important association in multiple sclerosis.
Blocking cell movement for cancer, multiple sclerosis treatment
10 February 2010
University of Adelaide researchers in Australia are finding new ways to block the movement of cells in the body which can cause autoimmune diseases and the spread of cancer.
Test theory, but treat MS patients, doctor says
09 February 2010
The Italian doctor behind a controversial new theory of multiple sclerosis said yesterday he welcomes more rigorous scientific investigation of his ideas, but suggested there is no reason MS patients should not immediately undergo the testing and treatment he pioneered.
Doctor says stem cell treatment for MS was 'worth a try' despite no evidence it worked
09 February 2010
A doctor alleged to have administered a stem cell therapy treatment in a ''wholly illegitimate, misleading and dishonest'' way to multiple sclerosis sufferers today told a disciplinary hearing the process in principle was ''worth a try''.
Drinking milk while pregnant may lower kids' MS risk
09 February 2010
Finding suggests that the effect of vitamin D begins in the womb, expert says.
Stem cells 'weren't for human use'
09 February 2010
Stem cells supplied to a Dutch clinic where British multiple sclerosis patients went for treatment were not "intended for human use", a General Medical Council hearing has been told.
Woman with MS finds strength, friendship in Pilates sessions
08 February 2010
For the first time in years, Sharon Marchioli is walking down stairs. And she's wearing heels, tapping her right foot, standing up straight - things she thought she had lost to multiple sclerosis.
Hamilton researchers to test Italian scientist's MS theory
08 February 2010
Idea that MS is a treatable vascular disease has been controversial.
Italian doctor heightens interest in MS cause
08 February 2010
The Italian doctor whose unconventional thinking on the cause of multiple sclerosis is in North America to drum up interest in testing the idea.
Study to look at earlier use of MS drug Tysabri
08 February 2010
As regulators once again updated the label on Tysabri over the risk of a rare and potentially fatal brain disease, Biogen Idec and Elan Corp are planning a long-term trial that could lead to use of the multiple sclerosis blockbuster at the early stages of the condition.
CCSVI or blood flow in the brain and venous insufficiency in multiple sclerosis
08 February 2010
February 9th marks the date that the Society receives research grant applications in response to its international request for research proposals.
Study of oral teriflunomide (HMR1726) recruiting people with relapsing forms of MS worldwide
08 February 2010
Investigators worldwide are recruiting 1110 people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) for a study comparing two doses of teriflunomide (HMR1726), an investigational, oral MS medication, and inactive placebo.
Blacks with MS have more severe symptoms, decline faster than whites, new study shows
06 February 2010
Fewer African Americans than Caucasians develop multiple sclerosis (MS), statistics show, but their disease progresses more rapidly, and they don't respond as well to therapies, a new study by neurology researchers at the University at Buffalo has found.
More doses of MS drug raise risk of brain infection
05 February 2010
FDA adds new warning on Tysabri label, but says benefits still outweigh dangers.
US warns of risk rise with more Tysabri infusions
05 February 2010
31 cases of serious brain infection confirmed.
Innovation to be at the heart of care and support services
04 February 2010
A sensor that switches on the lights when you get out of bed, a temperature detector to stop your house getting too hot or too cold and a flood detector are just some of the assistive technologies on display at a state of the art 'wise home' that Phil Hope Care Services Minister visited today in Harrogate.
Three-quarters of Britons 'suffer from depression'
01 February 2010
Three out of four people in the UK suffer from depression at some point but only a third seek help, according to a new poll.
Should we all be taking vitamin D?
01 February 2010
It could protect us against colon cancer, improve bone strength and make us happier. Dr Mark Porter asks, 'should we all take Vitamin D?'
Three out of four support change in assisted suicide laws
01 February 2010
Huge public support for a change in the law affecting assisted suicide and euthanasia has been uncovered by a YouGov poll after a succession of high profile court cases.
Gordon Brown receives prescription promise 'wake-up call'
01 February 2010
People across England will be joining forces to demonstrate their outrage at Gordon Brown's failure to act on his promise to abolish prescription charges for people with long-term conditions, by taking part in a simultaneous 'wake-up phone call' to No 10.
Financial lifeline for long-term ill
01 February 2010
An advice service has been launched to help patients coping with long-term illnesses and assist their families in claiming financial support.
Assisted suicide - for and against
01 February 2010
Calls for a change in the law on assisted suicide in England and Wales have reignited the debate on whether the terminally ill should have the right to be helped to die. But who wants what?
Multiple sclerosis risk changes with the season
29 January 2010
Previous studies have shown multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are more often born in spring than in any other season, indicating that there is an environmental risk factor for the disease.
Lifetime achievement award for Cawston nurse
29 January 2010
A Norfolk nurse has become the first-ever winner of a lifetime achievement award - after her care and commitment inspired its creation.
Magnetic resonance imaging examined in multiple sclerosis
28 January 2010
Study evaluates dynamic causal model to assess interactions of brain regions during motor task.
Breaking the fall
27 January 2010
Information to help MS patients prevent accidents was not available until one nurse took the initiative, writes Mary-Claire Mason.
Biogen Idec advances first regenerative MS medicine into human study
27 January 2010
One of the more intriguing experimental drugs for multiple sclerosis has just entered its first clinical trial.
Give patients guaranteed 24/7 care at the end of life
27 January 2010
The existing commitment to improving care at the end of life must be maintained despite the tough financial times ahead, a report from The King's Fund says.
Little pill means big news in the treatment of multiple sclerosis
26 January 2010
A new drug for multiple sclerosis promises to change the lives of the 100,000 people in the UK who have the condition, say researchers at Queen Mary, University of London.
Free from pain but not prosecution
25 January 2010
Multiple sclerosis patient Sarah Martin believes cannabis is the best way to liberate herself from the daily pain she endures.
Two-year results from CLARITY study with cladribine tablets in multiple sclerosis
23 January 2010
The CLARITY study [published in the New England Journal of Medicine] was a two-year (96-week), randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III trial of Cladribine Tablets in 1,326 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).
Is new MS research the real thing, or a media-driven frenzy?
23 January 2010
For long-suffering multiple sclerosis patients, it seemed like a miracle: a relatively simple new explanation for what causes the often-crippling disease, and an equally straightforward fix.
US approves Acorda MS drug to help with walking
22 January 2010
Ampyra first drug cleared to boost walking speeds in MS - Company says drug should be available in March.
First tablets to fight multiple sclerosis 'dramatically reduce relapse'
21 January 2010
The first tablets to fight multiple sclerosis dramatically reduce the chances of symptoms returning, new studies show.
BTG commences phase IIa study of Pleneva for multiple sclerosis - quick facts
21 January 2010
BTG Plc said it commenced dosing in a European multicentre Phase IIa study of Pleneva, a novel orally administered compound under development as a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis.
Low vitamin D levels are associated with greater risk of relapse in childhood-onset multiple sclerosis
21 January 2010
Low vitamin D blood levels are associated with a significantly higher risk of relapse attacks in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who develop the disease during childhood, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco.
European Medicines Agency recommends additional measures to better manage risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) with Tysabri
21 January 2010
Risk of PML increases after two years, but benefits of Tysabri continue to outweigh risks for patients with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
European regulators recommend Tysabri label update
21 January 2010
European regulators announce PML cases with Tysabri - Say risk of the brain infection remain low - Recommend updating label to reflect two-year risk.
New pills for MS tested
21 January 2010
"The first tablets to fight multiple sclerosis dramatically reduce the chances of symptoms returning," The Daily Telegraph has reported.
Hope for MS pill after cladribine and fingolimod trials
20 January 2010
Oral drugs to treat multiple sclerosis could become available in 2011 after promising results in two trials.
MS pills show promise and risk, studies say
20 January 2010
Tests of the first two oral drugs developed for treating multiple sclerosis show that both cut the frequency of relapses and may slow progression of the disease, but with side effects that could pose a tough decision for patients.
Foreign clinics making wild claims and growing fears of cancer
19 January 2010
Are stem cells REALLY the miracle we've been promised?
Young people with MS in film project
18 January 2010
Young people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have been out and about with video cameras in Norwich.
New ways to treat multiple sclerosis
18 January 2010
Multiple sclerosis seems to damage the central nervous system at a pace faster than the body's own repair mechanism can keep up. In an attempt to find new approaches to treat the disease, scientists are exploring techniques to give the repair process a boost.
Have doctors found a cure for MS?
17 January 2010
Doctors believe they have cured a British woman of multiple sclerosis after a pioneering operation.
MS therapy centre nears completion
15 January 2010
The long wait for multiple sclerosis sufferers in Swindon is almost at end - with the unveiling of the new MS therapy centre in sight.
UK Stem Cell Foundation & MS Society stem cell research collaboration
14 January 2010
Stem cell research in multiple sclerosis (MS) has been given a much-needed shot in the arm thanks to a partnership between the UK's largest charity supporting people affected by the condition and the UK's only charity dedicated to supporting stem cell research.
Experimental cancer drugs could offer effective treatments for MS
14 January 2010
Work on cancer growth and stem cells could reveal ways of reversing damage to the nerves caused by MS.
Biogen Idec submits application in Europe for the approval of Fampridine-PR tablets to improve walking ability in people with multiple sclerosis
13 January 2010
Biogen Idec announced the submission of a marketing authorization application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency for Fampridine Prolonged Release (Fampridine-PR) tablets, a novel oral therapy for the improvement of walking ability in adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Could multiple sclerosis by caused by blocked veins?
12 January 2010
Five years ago, opera singer Joan Beal had one of those life-changing shocks when her husband Jeff was told he had multiple sclerosis.
MS carers not alone thanks to new group
11 January 2010
The wife of a Multiple Sclerosis sufferer has set up a special group for partner and carers of people with the disease.
Stem cell doctor GMC hearing begins
11 January 2010
A doctor offering controversial stem cell treatment is before the GMC today.
Imagine the most excruciating pain any human being can experience...
09 January 2010
It is said to be one of the worst pains that a human being can experience - so much so, that sufferers have been driven to self-harm or, shockingly, even suicide.
Patients being tube-fed 'to save time'
06 January 2010
Patients are having their health put at risk by staff who feed them through tubes unnecessarily because they are too busy to help them eat normally, a report has warned.
Four more PML cases in Tysabri users in November
06 January 2010
Total at end of October was 24. December figure to be released in week or two.
Investigators in Ohio recruiting 24 people for study of autologous mesenchymal stem cell transplantation
06 January 2010
Investigators in Ohio are recruiting 24 people with relapsing forms of MS for a study of the safety and tolerability of transplanting one's own mesenchymal stem cells (derived from bone marrow).
Research into using acupuncture to treat urinary incontinence
05 January 2010
Researchers in America have carried out a pilot study to identify if acupuncture is effective in reducing urinary incontinence and to test research methods for investigating this treatment.
Approval for MS centre near Norwich
05 January 2010
A "groundbreaking" development in healthcare was signalled last night when a dedicated centre for multiple sclerosis patients was approved on the edge of Norwich.
Meditation 'should be routinely available on NHS'
05 January 2010
Meditation should be routinely available on the NHS to treat depression, a mental health charity said.
UK faster-access drug scheme "this year"
04 January 2010
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will this month begin a public consultation on proposals to make certain new drugs available to patients before they are formally licensed, with a view to having such a scheme up and running later this year.
Babies born in April have 'higher MS risk'
03 January 2010
Babies born in April face an increased risk of suffering from multiple sclerosis in later life, possibly as a result of their mothers' lack of exposure to sunlight, according to research.
Self-efficacy may affect patients' levels of fatigue
01 January 2010
Study suggests psychosocial mechanisms have role in fatigue response to physical activity.
Eight-month wait for a wheelchair
30 December 2009
A multiple sclerosis sufferer has finally been given a motorised wheelchair after an eight-month wait because the chair was too heavy for the pavement.
Widely used device for pain therapy not recommended for chronic low back pain
30 December 2009
A new guideline issued by the American Academy of Neurology finds that transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS), a widely used pain therapy involving a portable device, is not recommended to treat chronic low-back because - pain that has persisted for three months or longer - pain research shows it is not effective.
Vitamin D can reduce number of falls and fractures in elderly
28 December 2009
Elderly people who take a daily dose of vitamin D can boost their muscle strength and reduce the risk of falls by 19 per cent, according to a new study.
GWAS meta-analysis supports existence of autoimmune disease clusters
24 December 2009
A new paper in PLoS Genetics today suggests the same genetic variants that increase an individual's risk for one set of autoimmune diseases may actually make them less susceptible to others.
National MS Society flags CCSVI hypothesis a top research priority in 2010
22 December 2009
As 2009 draws to a close, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) has taken stock of some of the research highlights of the year that was and is looking ahead to 2010.
Being ill has turned me into a daredevil
17 December 2009
When Susan Fitzgibbon was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis she decided to make every moment count.
No one-shot wonder
17 December 2009
IT professional Dave Warden started work in May on an iPhone and iPod Touch application to help multiple sclerosis patients track and analyze their medication schedule. Warden submitted his application to Apple for approval in November, and the product named i-Inject went on sale Dec 6.
Physical activity reduces disease-related fatigue and depression by increasing self-efficacy or mastery
16 December 2009
Researchers in the US studying people with chronic diseases found that physical activity may reduce depression and fatigue by increasing self-efficacy, or the belief that one can master physical goals and attain a sense of accomplishment from applying oneself.
Higher premiums due to law change
15 December 2009
Insurers face paying out millions more in claims under proposed changes unveiled by legal experts, but the cost will be passed on to their customers.
The missing link for MS? Expert's perspective on chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency cure
15 December 2009
There's been much excitement in the MS community since Dr Paolo Zamboni, the Director of the Vascular Disease Center at the University of Ferrara in Milan, Italy presented his research findings on the effect of blood flow, iron storage and inflammation in people with MS at the 25th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (ECTRIMS) in September, 2009.
Genetic variant associated with multiple sclerosis risk may also be linked to number of spinal cord lesions in people with MS
15 December 2009
In a report published in the journal Archives of Neurology, a team of researchers in Amsterdam uncovered a clue which may elucidate the connection between the HLA-DRB1*1501 variant and multiple sclerosis.
Gifts NOT to give to people with multiple sclerosis
15 December 2009
Avoid gift-giving mistakes with these tips
MS sufferer walks after stem cell treatment
14 December 2009
An Australian man who was confined to a wheelchair by multiple sclerosis has made a remarkable recovery after receiving a groundbreaking stem cell treatment.
Gardasil linked to MS symptoms
13 December 2009
The cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil has triggered multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms in some girls after being inoculated [in Australia].
'My son had multiple sclerosis aged five'
13 December 2009
When Sam Blyth lost his eyesight his mother felt her worst fears were confirmed.
'I had everything I'd ever wanted - I couldn't be ill'
12 December 2009
Anatasia Parkes waited years to marry the man she adored and create a family. But just when her life was complete, disaster struck...
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