Brain health: time matters in multiple sclerosis presents consensus recommendations on diagnosis, therapeutic strategies and improving access to treatment in MS. Its core recommendation is that the goal of treating MS should be to preserve tissue in the central nervous system and maximize lifelong brain health by reducing disease activity. The report calls for major policy changes aimed at achieving the best possible outcomes for people with MS and those who care for them.
Brain health: time matters in multiple sclerosis was developed by an international multidisciplinary group of experts under the chairmanship of Professor Gavin Giovannoni and has been endorsed by a number of professional associations and advocacy groups.
Given the evolving approaches to understand the underlying cause, treatment and patient expereience of MS in recent years, a follow up is now warranted and we propose to update the report in line with these developments.
Areas of specific interest to discuss in an update are:
- The role of patient reported outcome measures and holistic management, in particular the importance of cognition including the use of validated cognitive screening tests such as SDMT (Symbol Digit Modalities Test), adopting a brain-healthy lifestyle, family planning and social determinants of health
- The subtle disease worsening including potential new therapeutic targets, including Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) and how BTK inhibitors could change MS therapy
- The new evidence that implicates the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) as a major driver in the pathogenesis of MS
- Other related immune-mediated, demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, including neuromyelitis optica and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD). These are underserved conditions which may be misdiagnosed as MS and for which similar principles apply to bring about high-quality care, including timely diagnosis and management
- Diagnostic procedures and biomarkers
- The socio-economic burden of MS and related disorders
Please suggest below any additional topics that should be considered in the new report.
Time matters in MS Executive summary
Find out about the vision behind the report and campaign – in a nutshell
