MS Trust Recent Story List

Scientists use noses to help disabled write, surf, move

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Severely disabled people may soon be able to use their noses to write, drive a wheelchair or surf the Internet, thanks to a device developed and tested by doctors in Israel.

New benefits system forces three-quarters of claimants back to work

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A controversial new system for assessing whether the sick and disabled are capable of working has seen more than three-quarters of benefit claimants either told to get a job or abandoning their claim.

The Duchess of Cornwall joins the Red Wheelies as honourary member

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

NEXT time the Red Wheelies mobility scooter display team line up for a performance, it might be worth checking their faces carefully.

MS patient's plea for treatment

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

ILFRACOMBE MS sufferer Jayne Morrow and husband Dave are hoping a pioneering new treatment will help ease her condition.

Dealing with revolts by members, incorporation and payment of trustees

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Tony Kennan, chair of the MS Society, tells Andy Ricketts you have to meet the challenges head-on

Anti-closure protesters set to target York Multiple Scleroris Society's AGM

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

PROTESTS against the threat of closure for a York respite care centre are set to be made at the Multiple Scleroris Society's annual general meeting.

Labour urges debate into future of MS respite home

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Labour is pressing for a debate in the Scottish Parliament on the future of Leuchie House, the respite home for multiple sclerosis sufferers in East Lothian.

Church supports stem cell project

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Research being carried out in Bristol into the medical use of adult stem cells to help multiple sclerosis sufferers is being funded by the Catholic Church.

University conference to study brain cells

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Neuro-scientists from around the world are gathering at the University of Portsmouth this week.

Scottish vitamin D summit captures international attention

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Shine on Scotland campaigners and the MS Society Scotland held productive talks with the Scottish Government yesterday as planning continues for the Scottish Summit on Vitamin D and MS which will take place in Glasgow in September.

First step to sustainable care and support system

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The first step towards creating a sustainable care and support system for all adults, that puts individuals and their families at its heart, was unveiled today by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.

O2 Health launches Wii fit-style trials

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

NHS East Berkshire is to trial technology to allow patients to carry out rehabilitation exercises at home without needing to see a physiotherapist, as part of the launch of O2 Health.

NHS to collect raft of data on quality of care: Department of Health

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The NHS is to be ordered to collect a raft of new measures on the quality of patient care just as the new Coalition government abolishes targets, it has been announced.

Specialists explore options for treating natalizumab-associated PML

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A new case report suggests that natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) may be successfully treated in a patient with multiple sclerosis, if caught early.

New online service to improve the information given to patients

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A new on-line Information Prescriptions Service is now available to help ensure that patients get the information they need, when they need it most.

Liberating the NHS: Improving outcomes for patients

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Detailed proposals for how the NHS will improve healthcare outcomes for patients and judge its success were set out in a public consultation by the Department of Health today.

Blow for MS sufferers as plan for centre fails

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Plans for a multiple sclerosis centre in Bradley Stoke [Bristol] have stalled after planners turned down an application for access to the site.

Of bugs and brains: Researchers discover that gut bacteria affect multiple sclerosis

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Biologists at the California Institute of Technology have demonstrated a connection between multiple sclerosis (MS) - an autoimmune disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord - and gut bacteria.

New guide to UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Commission seeks assurance from Government that the treaty will be fully implemented.

NHS 'should focus on outcome goals'

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Government has set out how NHS standards are likely to be measured in future, with a focus on how well treatments and care are working for patients.

British researchers create world's first robotic legs

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Two Britons living in New Zealand have built a pair of bionic legs that allow paraplegics to walk again.

Three more PML brain infections, one more death in Tysabri users

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Biogen Idec Inc. disclosed three more cases of a rare brain infection in multiple sclerosis patients on Tysabri, which it sells with Elan Corp., bringing the total number of cases to 58 as of July 2.

Thousands back Leuchie

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The bid to save Leuchie House is gathering momentum as close to 3,000 people have pledged their support to keep the MS facility open.

Millions of books get digitized for the disabled

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

For those who are blind, dyslexic or have diseases like multiple sclerosis and have difficulty turning book pages, reading the latest best seller just got easier.

Cannabinoids for the management of neuropathic pain: review of clinical effectiveness

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) has published a review of clinical and cost effectiveness on the use of cannabinoids for the management of neuropathic pain.

Health white paper: the details

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A radical new vision for the health service has been laid out by ministers effecting all areas of the NHS and healthcare.

Another day, another accent for NZ woman

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

An Invercargill woman believes she has foreign accent syndrome - a rare disorder which has changed her New Zealand accent to a British one.

Clinical trials of parasitic worms to treat MS, related to the "hygiene hypothesis"

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

At least two small clinical trials are currently underway - one supported with funding from the National MS Society - to test the idea that infection with intestinal parasites may reduce immune attacks in MS.

NHS to adopt zero tolerance approach to pressure ulcers

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Pressure ulcers can cause serious pain and severe harm to patients and cost the NHS billions of pounds each year to treat. Yet in the majority of cases they can be prevented if simple measures were followed.

Health white paper - what nurses need to know

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Health secretary Andrew Lansley has set out his blueprint for the future of the NHS in a white paper.

Can a controversial new treatment for multiple sclerosis offer relief?

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A new treatment is giving hope to MS sufferers such as Mark Walker. So why can't he get it in Britain? Liz Hunt reports.

NHS shake-up grants new powers to doctors and patients

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Patients and family doctors are to be given a central role in the NHS as the Government unveiled plans for the biggest NHS shake-up in decades.

Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley today set out the Government's ambitious plans to reform the NHS during this Parliament and for the long-term.

Sleep disorders common in multiple sclerosis

Fri, 9 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Sleep disorders are highly prevalent in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and may exacerbate fatigue associated with the condition, according to a study presented here at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers 24th Annual Conference and the Third Joint Meeting of Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

USF receives patent for technology to improve treatment for neurodegenerative diseases

Thu, 8 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Umbilical cord blood cells and mannitol pass the blood-brain barrier.

MS patient takes up drag racing after drug changes life

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A multiple sclerosis sufferer told today how her life was turned around after a London hospital gave her a "miracle" drug.

New website about work and disability

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The UK MS Society has worked with other organisations to create Worklife, a website for people with long-term health conditions who want to stay in work, for their employers and for health professionals.

Natalizumab improves language processing in patients with multiple sclerosis

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Treatment with natalizumab (Tysabri) leads to improved language processing and retrieval of newly learned verbal material in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to research presented here at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers 24th Annual Conference and the Third Joint Meeting of Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

Interim results of ofatumumab phase II study in multiple sclerosis

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Genmab announces interim results from a Phase II study of ofatumumab in RRMS.

UB neurosurgeons experimenting with MS procedures

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Researchers at the University at Buffalo Neurosurgery Department began testing a new procedure last week for treating multiple sclerosis.

Movement therapies may reduce chronic pain

Mon, 5 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Yoga, tai chi, qigong and other exercises appear to help people suffering from cancer, arthritis, fybromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and other problems.

Don't ask Dr Google: How the worryingly poor online medical advice could affect your health

Sun, 4 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Soaring numbers of patients who consult 'Dr Google' about their injuries may be getting diagnoses which are wrong or incomplete, a new report revealed today.

New disability benefits system 'needs radical change or 2.5m incapacity claimants will remain unemployed'

Sat, 3 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The architect of a new benefits system has warned radical changes must be made to avert serious problems for vulnerable people.

Pregnant women 'must take vitamin D supplements'

Sat, 3 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Pregnant women in the UK should be told to routinely take vitamin D supplements, researchers say.

Clarification re media comment on Sativex

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In response to a story in a regional UK media outlet yesterday, GW wishes to make the following clarification:

Simple eye test measures damage from multiple sclerosis

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A quick, painless eye measurement shows promise as a way to diagnose multiple sclerosis in its very early stages, and to track the effectiveness of treatments, researchers from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have found in a multicentre study.

Cancer drug to treat arthritis, multiple sclerosis

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A drug already available for treating cancer could also help in the treatment of a range of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and lupus, say scientists.

MS sufferers in the south refused cannabis drug

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Doctors across southern England have been told not to prescribe a new cannabis-based drug developed for people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Brain atrophy responsible for depression in people battling multiple sclerosis

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Study finds hippocampus is affected by imbalance in neuroendocrine system.

Clinical trial testing new multiple sclerosis treatment to launch in Buffalo

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Researchers at the University at Buffalo, led by the Department of Neurosurgery, will embark on a landmark prospective randomized double-blinded study to test the safety and efficacy of interventional endovascular therapy - dubbed "liberation treatment" - on MS symptoms and progression.

Patients free to buy their care with NHS money

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Patients are set to be given money by the NHS to spend on healthcare services of their choice.

More power to the patient

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Patients will be offered more choice and control over their healthcare with the launch of the first direct payment scheme, Care Services Minister Paul Burstow announced today.

Welfare crackdown begins with drive to reduce incapacity benefit claims

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Coalition's plans include taking people off higher rate of benefits if tests reveal they are fit to do some work.

MS patients create own informal experiment, going in droves for unproven therapy

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Scores, even hundreds of people with multiple sclerosis have in the last half-year or so undergone a procedure many hope will cure or at least improve their disease symptoms.

Sixty-two year old chemotherapy treatment shows promising results on progressive multiple sclerosis patients

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Study shows ITMTX may have beneficial role in progressive forms of MS.

Margarine, processed meats and other foods can increase the risk of multiple sclerosis

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Increased production of certain types of industrially produced foods - specifically of margarine, processed meat and sausage, jam and marmalade, chocolate and chocolate confectionary, sugar confectionary and beer - correlates statistically with an increased incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Protesters hold Woodlands respite care centre demo

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A demonstration has been held by protesters angry at the possible closure of the area's only respite centre for people with multiple sclerosis.

MS sufferer appeals for help as council ditch her stairlift pleas

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A desperate mum suffering from agonising multiple sclerosis this week claimed East Ayrshire Council is refusing to carry out essential improvements at her house because social workers are convinced her condition will only get worse.

Anger at possible Helen Ley closure

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Outrage has been expressed over the threat of closure to Helen Ley Care Centre in Leamington.

Psychological therapies offered across the NHS

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Psychological therapies will continue to be rolled out across the NHS in the coming year Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced today.

MS treatment in final clinical trial stage

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Abbott Laboratories and its Massachusetts biotech partner have launched a final-stage clinical trial of their experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis.

MS drug's epic journey from folklore to lab

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Research into ancient Chinese fungus that propagates inside insects yields potential relief for multiple sclerosis.

Overheating a multiple sclerosis threat

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Summer heat can cause the recurrence of MS symptoms for people with multiple sclerosis, a US neurologist warns.

Direct coping and planning results in less multiple sclerosis flare-ups than dealing with stress on an emotional level

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Multiple sclerosis patients who directly confronted the stress of the Second Lebanon War suffered fewer attacks than those who chose to cope with the situation by focusing on feelings.

Cannabis spray for MS: Controversial medicine that relieves pain gets go-ahead

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The first cannabis-based medicine has been given the go-ahead for use in Britain by MS sufferers.

ENS 2010: Multiple sclerosis, migraine and dementia: new insights from neuroimaging

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Innovative imaging techniques such as functional MRI or diffusion tensor imaging occupy an important place in modern neurology today.

Campaign to save MS Society respite centres

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Petition calls for reversal of decision to close four care homes.

MS sufferers welcome first licensed cannabis-based drug

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The first licensed medical drug containing whole cannabis plant extracts has been launched to treat symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Cannabis-based prescription drug approved to treat MS

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A cannabis-based drug which can be taken by multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferers has been approved for use in the UK.

Cannabis-derived drug is launched in UK

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A drug manufactured from cannabis went on sale in the UK Monday as a treatment for symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Latest MS drug contains cannabis

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The first licensed medical drug containing whole cannabis plant extracts has been launched to treat symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

GW Pharmaceuticals on a high after multiple sclerosis medicine Sativex wins approval

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Even if you were to track down the location and break into the computer-controlled greenhouse, the cannabis plants you would find at GW Pharmaceuticals' top-secret farm would be unlikely to give you the high you were hoping for.

MS sufferer's 'despair' at centre closure

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A woman with severe multiple sclerosis said closing the Helen Ley Care Centre will be a "death sentence for many".

Minister recognises carers' contribution

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Care services minister Paul Burstow has spoken of the outstanding contribution that carers make to society during a visit to a Lambeth GP practice.

Why certain diseases go into remission during pregnancy

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

During pregnancy, many women experience remission of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and uveitis. Now, scientists have described a biological mechanism responsible for changes in the immune system that helps to explain the remission.

Britain approves GW Pharma's cannabis drug Sativex

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

GW Pharmaceuticals Plc's cannabis-derived medicine Sativex has been approved in Britain for treating spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis, in a landmark decision for the small drugmaker.

Recommendations for clinical use of data on neutralising antibodies to interferon-beta therapy in MS

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A panel of experts met in June 2009 to review and discuss available data on neutralising antibodies to interferon-beta therapy (NAbs) and their practical consequences for the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Call to Prime Minister David Cameron over Woodlands Respite Care Home closure

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A direct appeal could be made to new Prime Minister David Cameron to try to save a threatened "lifeline" respite centre in York.

Biogen reports six new PML cases with Tysabri

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Six more patients taking Biogen Idec Inc's multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri have developed a potentially deadly brain infection known as PML, the company said.

Stem cell therapy 'damage' seen in kidney disease case

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A new complication has been seen in a patient with kidney disease who received stem cell therapy, scientists have warned.

New theory on CCSVI and MS needs further study, experts say

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A controversial new theory suggests reduced blood flow in the azygous and internal jugular veins may be associated with MS, possibly by causing an iron overload in the brain and spinal cord.

Test could detect MS nine years in advance

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A simple blood test that can predict multiple sclerosis up to nine years before symptoms appear is being developed by scientists.

Labour leader in bid to save Lothians MS respite centre

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray is seeking an urgent meeting with health secretary Nicola Sturgeon in a bid to save Scotland's only respite home for people with multiple sclerosis.

Getting on with life with multiple sclerosis

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Looking back now, Carol Galvin said there were pointers that something wasn't quite right back in 2005.

Anger over closure of Helen Ley Care Centre for MS patients

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A care centre for Coventry and Warwickshire people with severe multiple sclerosis is to be closed.

Carers require a bit of looking after too

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Caring for a relative is a job like no other. For a start most people don't recognise it as a real job in itself, it's just something you willingly do for a loved one, no matter the impact it has on your life.

Enrollment of first patient in phase II BG-12 combination trial in multiple sclerosis

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

EXPLORE trial to evaluate oral BG-12 as combination therapy for patients who continue to experience disease progression despite ongoing treatment

Start opening veins for MS patients, MDs say

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

People with multiple sclerosis should be able to have surgery on blocked neck veins as part of a clinical trial, says the Italian doctor who pioneered what has become known as the liberation therapy.

Doubts over vein blockages in people with MS

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Serious doubts have been cast over whether a vein disorder, purported to cause MS and which was uncovered last year, actually exists.

Isolation takes toll on carers

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Nearly three-quarters of people in the East of England looking after an ill, frail or disabled loved one do not have a life outside of caring, according to research.

Carers 'get no respite from role'

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Eighty per cent of people in Northern Ireland looking after an ill, frail or disabled loved one do not have a life outside of their caring role, new research has suggested.

Study adds fuel to debate over MS and blocked veins

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A study published online will add to the debate raging among the MS patient and research community. The paper, published in the Annals of Neurology, says researchers found no evidence that blockages in veins play a significant role in MS.

Active mind may protect MS patients

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Intellectual enrichment helped preserve memory and learning in multiple sclerosis patients, study says.

Pre-empting multiple sclerosis

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A breakthrough finding from Israel may lead to earlier diagnosis, more effective intervention, and perhaps even a cure for the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis.

Virus infection may trigger unusual immune cells to attack nerves in multiple sclerosis

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A virus infection can incite the body to attack its own nerve tissue by activating unusual, disease-fighting cells with receptors for both viral and nerve proteins.

Are stem cell tourists being swindled?

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Maybe, maybe not. According to the July edition of the publication Popular Science and its online companion site PopSci.com, desperate US patients are headed offshore for experimental stem cell therapies, referred to as stem cell tourism.

Zivadinov's update on chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) in multiple sclerosis

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD provides a thoughtful update on the current status of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) research in multiple sclerosis.

Natalizumab an alternative for those in whom other MS treatments have failed

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A new study suggests that patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in whom previous treatment regimens have failed remain stable or show improvement when switched to treatment with natalizumab (Tysabri).

Over $2.4 million committed to support seven initial CCSVI grants to determine the role of CCSVI (venous insufficiency) in MS disease process

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Over $2.4 million has been committed by the National MS Society (USA) and the MS Society of Canada to support seven new research projects focusing on the role of CCSVI (chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency) in MS.

FDA panel endorses first oral drug for multiple sclerosis [USA]

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

But concerns about side effects led experts to vote for post-market study of lower-dose pill.

MS Society to give up respite sites

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Three respite care centres in England for people with multiple sclerosis will no longer be run by the MS Society under plans by the charity.

MS respite care centre to close

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Scotland's only respite care centre for people with multiple sclerosis is to close later this year.

FDA panel: Novartis sclerosis drug safe, effective [USA]

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Federal health experts [in the USA] said Thursday a first-of-a-kind multiple sclerosis drug from Novartis is safe and effective for controlling tremors, concentration problems and other symptoms of the debilitating disease.

Vitamin D exposure in childhood linked to age at onset of MS

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Levels of childhood sun exposure and the presence or absence of cod liver oil supplements predict age at onset of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests.

Vitamin D linked to poor learning performance in patients with MS

Wed, 9 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A new study shows that serum vitamin D deficiency is associated with poor learning performance among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Merck seeking approval for MS pill

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The battle to win US approval for the first multiple sclerosis (MS) pill has been stepped up after German firm Merck resubmitted a request for regulatory approval for its cladribine drug.

FDA staffers express safety concerns over Novartis MS pill

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Documents released ahead of a US regulatory panel meeting on Thursday suggest that Novartis may have a tricky time in getting a recommendation for approval of its eagerly-anticipated oral multiple sclerosis treatment Gilenia.

Cancer drug shuts down MS activity

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Cladribine, an oral drug already marketed for hematologic cancers under the trade name Leustatin, was superior to placebo in reducing progression and other signs of MS disease activity, researchers here reported [CMSC-ACTRIMS].

Physical therapy improves urinary symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A physical therapy regimen improves both urinary incontinence and urinary retention in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study presented here at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers 24th Annual Conference and the Third Joint Meeting of Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

Cyclic methylprednisolone doesn't add to interferon-beta treatment in relapsing-remitting MS

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Pulsed monthly methylprednisolone has no effect on disability progression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) who are being treated with interferon beta-1a, according to a double-blind controlled trial.

DTB editorial questions NICE neuropathic pain guideline recommending pregabalin

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This editorial in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) questions the recommendation in the recent guideline on neuropathic pain from NICE that clinicians should "offer oral amitriptyline or pregabalin as first-line treatment."

Study supports long-term safety profile of Betaferon for multiple sclerosis over 16 years

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Results from the 16-year follow-up to the pivotal Betaferon (interferon-beta-1b) trial, published today in the journal Neurology, provide the longest and most complete patient follow-up data and support the long-term safety profile of Betaferon in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Simple eye test measures damage from multiple sclerosis

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A quick, painless eye measurement shows promise as a way to diagnose multiple sclerosis in its very early stages, and to track the effectiveness of treatments, researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in a multicenter study.

Protein lets brain repair damage from multiple sclerosis, other disorders

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A protein that helps build the brain in infants and children may aid efforts to restore damage from multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found.

Intermittent exercise helps multiple sclerosis patients

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are able to exercise longer when they take intermittent rest breaks, according to a new study presented here at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers 24th Annual Conference and the Third Joint Meeting of Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis.

Postpartum steroid reduces relapses

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A single dose of methylprednisolone given to new mothers with multiple sclerosis immediately after delivery reduced the risk of relapse for up to three months, researchers found.

Fingolimod supports ADLs in MS

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Multiple sclerosis patients who took the oral investigational agent fingolimod were better able to maintain activities of daily living (ADLs) over a year than those treated with injected interferon beta-1A, according to a study presented here.

Content of OTC vitamin D low, unpredictable

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients taking over-the-counter (OTC) vitamin D aren't getting what they're paying for, or what their neurologists recommend, according to a study presented here.

Interferon adjunct reduces MS lesions

Sun, 6 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The oral drug teriflunomide demonstrates short-term safety and reduces lesions in multiple sclerosis for up to one year when used in combination with interferon beta, according to a study presented here [CMSC-ACTRIMS meeting].

Urinary rehab effective in MS

Sat, 5 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Individualized rehabilitation can improve urinary dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients independent of disease duration or disability, according to a study presented here [CMSC-ACTRIMS meeting].

Low sunlight linked to MS onset age

Fri, 4 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Age of onset of multiple sclerosis was more than two years earlier in patients who lived in northern latitudes - with reduced exposure to the sun in fall and winter - during childhood, researchers found.

MS drugs scheme "a costly failure" for the NHS

Fri, 4 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The multiple sclerosis risk sharing scheme is "a costly failure" and should not be continued, according to researchers on bmj.com today.

NHS 'has wasted millions on MS drugs which did nothing to help patients'

Fri, 4 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The NHS has wasted millions of pounds on MS drugs which did nothing to help patients, according to experts.

Safety fears hang over pioneering MS pill

Fri, 4 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Gilenia leads US race as first multiple sclerosis pill - FDA panel to vote on drug June 10 - cancer and heart safety concerns expected to loom large.

Risk Sharing Scheme could not yield valid data after only two years follow up

Fri, 4 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Prof Richard J Lilford, chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Risk-sharing Scheme, responds to the recent criticism of the scheme.

UK scheme for MS drugs "a costly failure"

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Scheme launched in 2002 "wastes 50 million pounds a year" - Patients fared worse than expected, but scheme continues - Experts say drug firms were main beneficiaries.

Out of the shadows: our unknown immune system

Wed, 2 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Deliberate infection with a blood-sucking worm seems an odd way to treat multiple sclerosis (MS).

Stem cell therapies for inflammatory brain diseases now possible

Wed, 2 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A team of investigators from the University of California in Irvine (UCI) Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center have recently made important strides in the field of using stem cells as therapies for mitigating the effects of injuries on the central nervous systems.

Study explains why healthy individuals don't get tremors

Tue, 1 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Nerve signals in the spinal cord work to counteract signals from the brain that would otherwise lead to tremors in our movement, according to new research funded by the Wellcome Trust.

Immune system helps transplanted stem cells navigate in central nervous system

Tue, 1 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

By discovering how adult neural stem cells navigate to injury sites in the central nervous system, UC Irvine researchers have helped solve a puzzle in the creation of stem cell-based treatments: How do these cells know where to go?

Acupuncture's molecular effects pinned down: new insights spur effort to boost treatment's impact significantly

Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Scientists have taken another important step toward understanding just how sticking needles into the body can ease pain.

Breakthrough in 'shakes' treatment could counteract disabling tremors

Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Patients whose lives are made a misery by constant shakes and tremors, could soon be relieved of their symptoms.

People shouldn't think because I have MS I can't have a kid...

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

After two successful pregnancies, Louise Flockhart has one simple piece of advice for other women with multiple sclerosis: "Go for it."

Enhanced FES system could aid MS sufferers

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The approximately 100,000 people in the UK who suffer with multiple sclerosis (MS) could benefit from improvements being made to a technology that eases mobility by electrically stimulating improperly functioning muscles and nerves.

When patients meet online, are there side effects?

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Could we cure diseases faster, or at least better control them, through crowd-sourcing?

Escitalopram provides symptom relief for patients with MS and MDD

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Treatment with escitalopram appears to be an effective therapy for patients who have multiple sclerosis (MS) and comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD), researchers suggested at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Shine a light

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Should Scotland introduce a vitamin D supplementation programme?

Queen's Speech unveils new Health Bill and vision for NHS

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Queen has outlined the new coalition government's plans for introducing a Health Bill that will cement its vision for a National Health Service run by clinicians and free from political meddling.

MS fears at work incorrect, study finds

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

After a decade with multiple sclerosis, Fiona Hall is all too familiar with the uncomfortable walk to the boss's office to talk about her disease.

Mobility scooter display team completes epic trek

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A team of multiple-sclerosis sufferers has completed their 150-mile mobility scooter-powered trek from Winchester to Canterbury.

Gayle Bloomfield's hope for Paralympics dressage glory

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A rider who vowed she would never get back in the saddle after becoming crippled by multiple sclerosis is now on the road to Paralympic glory.

Free prescription plans 'on hold'

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Proposals to give free prescriptions to people in England with long-term conditions have been put on hold due to financial pressures on the NHS.

Prescription charges review

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Implementing exemption from prescription charges for people with long term conditions.

Multiple sclerosis: World MS Day

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

To mark the awareness day, we talk to one of the UK's experts in the field of multiple sclerosis about current and future treatments, MS research and problems in the workplace for people with MS.

First major survey of multiple sclerosis (MS) nurses highlights significant disparities in MS nursing across Europe

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The findings from MS-NEED (Multiple Sclerosis-Nurse Empowering EDucation): European survey highlights the need to define and benchmark healthcare provision in MS across Europe.

MSIF statement on CCSVI

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

MSIF [Multiple Sclerosis International Federation] has published a statement on Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI), based on consultation with a wide range of contributors.

New disabled benefit system 'unfit'

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

One of the architects of a new benefit system for disabled people has urged the Government to delay rolling it out after evidence that medical tests are wrongly finding thousands of people fit for work.

Assessments under new benefits system investigated

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A BBC Scotland investigation finds that tens of thousands of claimants who are genuinely sick or disabled may have been refused the new Employment Support Allowance.

Has residential respite care had its day?

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The MS Society is about to decide whether to close all its respite care homes and offer more personalised support to its users. The outcome could have repercussions for other disability charities.

Your story, your voice, your achievements, your ideas... This is about life, real life, Real MS

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Global campaign to raise awareness of MS across the world.

Phase III Trial of MS antibody daclizumab starts

Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Biogen Idec Inc and Abbott kicked off a Phase III trial comparing their anti-IL-2 antibody daclizumab to Biogen's Avonex (interferon beta-1a) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Extension of US regulatory priority review period for FTY720

Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extends priority review period by three months to September 2010, in line with previously announced expectations

Vitamin D: hope on the horizon for MS prevention?

Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Vitamin D deficiency might be an important modifiable risk factor for MS. This raises the question of whether population-wide supplementation programmes might be a reasonable prevention strategy.

Survey reveals economic toll of MS

Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Nearly half of MS patients stop working within 3 years of diagnosis

Slow multiple sclerosis progression with cannabinoids

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A $1.5 million National Institutes of Health grant will help Temple University [in Philadelphia] researchers study more effective ways to treat multiple sclerosis (MS).

Regenerative medicine: the body is expert at repairing itself

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

James Le Fanu's Doctor's Diary: The bone marrow is a particularly versatile source of stem cells, which could help patients with multiple sclerosis.

When helper cells aren't helpful

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Current research suggests that T helper-type 1 (Th1) cells, previously thought to mediate autoimmunity, may actual inhibit the development of experimental immune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), by suppressing Th17 cells.

A new prescription: parasite eggs

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Scientists test whether whipworms can fight autoimmune disorders.

Walter Williams of the O'Jays opens up about long battle with multiple sclerosis

Sun, 23 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

It started with a numb big toe.

To hell and back

Sun, 23 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Maria Blackburn was with her two-year-old son when she overheard someone across the road pass critical comments about her for being drunk and in the company of a young child.

Gut instinct: the miracle of the parasitic hookworm

Sun, 23 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

When Jasper Lawrence heard of a radical cure for his allergies, he decided to give it a go: he went to Africa and infected himself with a blood-sucking parasite. Now he's cured, and he believes hookworm can help people with asthma, diabetes and MS. Only one problem - he's on the run from the law.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

Sat, 22 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The designer talks about his family.

The NHS must put patients first

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Bureaucracy and a top-down approach have undermined the health service, writes Andrew Lansley. Patients and clinicians must be put in control.

Pledge to overhaul social care

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Ministers today pledged to urgently overhaul Britain's "unsustainable" social care system and tackle a growing problem which the Labour government did little to address during its time in office.

Sativex deemed approvable by regulators in UK/Spain