MS International Federation (MSIF)


The Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) is an international organisation which links the activities of member MS organisations around the world. It also coordinates the annual World MS Day.

The MSIF believes that the challenges of MS are worldwide, and that the solutions are too. By sharing experiences and speaking with one voice they hope to be more effective in facilitating changes that benefit people with MS globally. For example, they have successfully advocated to get the disease modifying drugs rituximab, cladribine and glatiramer acetate onto the World Health Organizations’ Essential Medicines List EML). Drugs on the EML should be available as a minimum in all health systems.

The MSIF website contains news about MS, a range of information resources available in several languages, information on research, and MSIF publications including the journal MS in Focus. There's also an international directory of member MS organisations.

The MSIF also regularly collect data to inform an 'Atlas of MS’ which brings together information on:

  • the number of people with MS (prevalence) 
  • the number of people newly diagnosed with MS each year (incidence).

They have also looked at other data to get a better global picture of:

  • the average age at diagnosis
  • type of MS at diagnosis
  • diagnostic criteria used in different countries and barriers to diagnosis
  • types of disease modifying drugs (DMDs) used and barriers to access
  • numbers of MS health professionals
  • national guidelines and standards for MS treatment.
     

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