MS Society: MS affects quality of life 'to massive degree'

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients could be facing a much brighter future with news of a new drug for the market which will improve symptoms.

In the placebo-controlled trial of Fingolimod in those with relapsing multiple sclerosis, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on January 20th, it was concluded that doses of oral Fingolimod improved the relapse rate, the risk of disability progression and end points on MRI scans.

Dr Doug Brown, the biomedical research manager at the MS Society, said: "MS affects individuals in many different ways and it's very unpredictable.

"One doesn't know when a relapse or an MS attack is going to happen. They also don't know what that MS attack will entail."

Symptoms of MS include extreme fatigue, loss of sight, bowel and bladder problems and loss of other motor functions, he continued, meaning the newest discovery is hugely welcome.

As it stands, around 100,000 people in the UK have MS.

Read about Barchester expertise in offering multiple sclerosis support.