Identifying which treatments for multiple sclerosis have the most promise is challenging because there are no head-to-head studies comparing treatments and what's promising for one clinician is different than what's promising for another clinician, explained June Halper, MSN, APN-C, MSCN, FAAN, chief executive officer, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers.
Identifying which treatments for multiple sclerosis have the most promise is challenging because there are no head-to-head studies comparing treatments and what's promising for one clinician is different than what's promising for another clinician, explained June Halper, MSN, APN-C, MSCN, FAAN, chief executive officer, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers.
Transcript
Within the last year or so, what treatments have been demonstrating the greatest promise in managing multiple sclerosis?
It’s a hard question to answer in terms of what has shown the greatest promise. If you ask patients, they would probably answer marijuana because pot is becoming legalized in a number of states, and in many instances, patients consider that a treatment. When we talk about disease-modifying therapy, there really are no head-to-head studies where you would say Betaseron or Avonex or better than Gilenya. So, we really don’t know which is the most promising.
What’s the most promising for one clinician is different for another clinicians. I guess we have to wait to see if, one, there will be a comparable study. I doubt it. But more and more, we’re going to see things like roundtables like you do here in your organization to try and get some expert opinion, to listen to the key opinion leaders who can say, “In my experience, "X" medication works better than "Y" medication on patients that have had MS [multiple sclerosis] for less than 5 years and have the following picture.” I think that’s the thing we have to rely on most, at least for now, is the expert opinion and the widespread experience that clinicians have with the various drugs.
The other problem we face is the insurance companies, they might not have particular drugs in their formularies, so certain clinicians may not be able to analyze their outcome or their benefit because their patients might not be entitled to get them. In this country, we have a wide variety of challenges. In Canada for example, it’s a nationalized health system, so they have access to all the drugs.
So, that question’s a tough question that I’m hoping will be answered, mainly by expert opinion and long-standing experience, over the next few years.
Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
Listen
Dr Michael Farwell on FDG PET/CT Imaging to Predict Immunotherapy Response in Advanced Melanoma
April 15th 2024Michael Farwell, MD, associate professor of radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, provides insights into a study on the benefits of using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT imaging to detect metabolic tumor changes in skin cancer.
Read More
Making Giant Strides in Maternity Health Through Baby Steps
April 9th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are kicking off a special month-long podcast series with our strategic alliance partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our first episode, which is all about the Baby Steps Maternity Program and its mission to support women throughout every step of their pregnancy journey.
Listen
Increasing Lp(a) Awareness for Better Cardiovascular Health: Dr Mary McGowan
March 24th 2024For Lp(a) Awareness Day, Mary McGowan, MD, FNLA, chief medical officer of the Family Heart Foundation, highlights how most people with elevated Lp(a) are completely unaware that they have this increased risk and calls for increased testing.
Read More
Dr Al Benson on Reimbursement for Supportive Care When Treating Patients With Cancer
March 22nd 2024Al Benson, MD, FACP, FACCC, FASCO, medical oncologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and associate director of the Robert E. Tillery Comprehensive Cancer Center, discussed findings from a national survey assessing barriers to comprehensive cancer care delivery.
Read More