(CMSC) Can some MS patients stop disease-modifying drugs?

[agate]

The CMSC (Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers) had its annual meeting in New Orleans recently, and one of the papers presented was "Can some MS patients stop disease-modifying drugs?" From MedPage Today, May 27:

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[Howie]

To stop a treatment seems to be a tough decision made by the patient, just like the tough decision to start a DMT in the first place. Useful information for those who are on a treatment.

I've never taken a treatment, but am in an age bracket where it seems okay to stop a treatment had I ever used one.

[Virginia]

If I am reading it right, they really don't know. About like everything else with this disease.

Thanks Agate!

[agate]

It sounds as if they're thinking about categories of people who could be excluded from insurance coverage for the DMTs if cutbacks are in the offing. The insurance companies might cover the DMTs but only for some categories of people with MS, particularly now that there's evidence that the DMTs are most effective if started soon after the onset of MS. Many very recently diagnosed people are going to be encouraged to start a DMT instead of waiting a while. That will be more of a drain on the insurance companies. So they may start looking at ways of reducing their payments covering DMTs.

The article does contain a couple of statements warning that it would be dangerous to start excluding people from the DMTs.

No, they really don't know.

[Howie]

I think you hit the nail on the head Agate.

[agate]

That's great if I did. So often I hit my thumb instead of the nail.

[Virginia]

Agate, I thought of that as I read the article and obviously it would cut me out. Scares the heck out of me.

[agate]

This new idea might cut most of us here out. Some of us wouldn't be especially interested in being on the DMTs anyway, or we lost interest as time went by, but still it would be nice to know that an MS drug is still an option, and if things got really bad we could opt to go on one.

The idea seems to be just floating around. They haven't actually done anything about it. They might not. These drugs are such a goose that lays the golden eggs for the drug companies!

[Cat Dancer]

Worst decision I've ever made in my life --- to stop Betaseron. I'm convinced that led to all that has happened to me these last 4 years. Took a couple of years before it all started, after I stopped the Beta....but I'm paying the price. But yes, the article should scare us. Those of us who are old and sick will be the ones who will be dropped from coverage...and there's no way anyone can afford those drugs on their own!

[Howie]

Can you imagine what a cure will cost?

[Frog42]

As much as they can suck out of people, no doubt.