Number of US MS cases now 947,000 instead of 400,000 according to NMSS

[agate]

Close to a million people are now estimated to have MS in the US, and that is quite different from the 400,000 we've been hearing about for years. The National MS Society did a new prevalence study, using different methodologies, and came up with this new figure but it doesn't mean that there's been an increase in MS cases. The way they went about finding the cases was different this time.

From Multiple Sclerosis News Today (November 20):

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[Jeanie Z]

:) That is a better figure but I think they are way shy of actual cases. You hardly meet anyone who does not have a relative or friend with MS. Jeanie :)

[Howie]

Don't be too hard on them, they only missed it by 547,000.

[Virginia]

I think they still missed it, but they are getting a little closer. They didn't move off of that 400,000 for years.

[agate]

The study had its limitations:

Among its limitations, the NMSS study excludes children, Native Americans, undocumented residents and prisoners, as well as people who seek treatment at alternative medical clinics rather than the healthcare insurance system.

Those are pretty sizeable groups that were excluded, IMO.

[Sunshine]

Seems about right, one in 300

[jendie]

400,000 seemed like a low number to me and nearly a million sound more accurate.