The right treatment at the right time
We want to make sure everyone has access to the treatment they need. That’s why we fund research into all stages of MS.
People with MS need fair and equal access to treatments, whatever the stage of their MS journey. But different factors can limit what treatments someone can access. Like how advanced is their MS, or if they’ve only just received their diagnosis.
Here we talk about some of the challenges, and what clinical trials are doing to tackle them.
The evidence keeps getting stronger that effective DMTs are the key element of MS care at any stage of MS. I hope ChariotMS, AttackMS, and other trials, will lead to more effective DMTs throughout the course of MS. This would maintain and improve quality of life for all.
How hard to hit MS?
There’s around twenty disease modifying therapies (DMTs) available for relapsing MS on the NHS. These vary in how hard they hit MS and their side effects.
It’s common practice to start with less intensive DMTs when you’re newly diagnosed. But MS experts are now debating if we should start treating people with harder hitting DMTs as soon as they get diagnosed.
When to start?
Currently people with MS only have access to DMTs when their MS diagnosis is confirmed.
But some evidence suggests that the sooner treatment starts, the more lesions and disability can be prevented. That’s why some experts think that DMTs should be prescribed when people first have MS symptoms, before they're diagnosed.
Who has access?
There’s a small number of DMTs available for people with progressive MS. But access to treatments is a challenge for people with more advanced MS.
This is because clinical trials traditionally used walking ability as a key measurement of whether a drug is effective. So people who couldn’t walk very far couldn’t take part in trials. This means we don’t have much evidence to show if these treatments help the people who were excluded.
Finding the right treatment for you
It’s important that everyone with MS has access to the right treatment at the right time. This can help control relapses and symptoms. And it may also help to slow down how fast MS gets worse in the future.
We hope more research like the trials below will help settle these debates and ensure people with MS get the best treatment possible.
Finding the right treatment can feel overwhelming. If you qualify to have a DMT, our new decision tool can help you find out which DMTs might be a good match for you.
Current research into treatments
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Join the Research Network
Our Research Network make sure all the research we fund reflects the needs and interests of people living with MS. And they help us talk about it in a way that’s accessible to everyone.
Anyone who lives with MS or cares for someone who does can get involved. It doesn't matter where in the UK you live or how much research experience you have.
