MS in the Media - 6 July 2018
30 June - 6 July 2018
These are links to news stories from the last week that may be of interest to people in the UK. The link beneath each item will take you to the original story.
Please note that the MS Trust did not write the original items and does not endorse their content nor any claims made in them.
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Ocrelizumab not approved for PPMS
NICE has not recommended ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) as a treatment for primary progressive MS in England and Wales. This initial decision is now open to consultation and the final decision is expected in October.
Source: Pharma Times
MS Trust link: NICE rejects ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) for primary progressive MS
Solvents, smoking and MS risk
A combination of exposure to chemical solvents and smoking raises the risk of MS according to Swedish research. The study found that people exposed to solvents such as painting products and varnish at work generally had a higher MS risk. People who also had two genes associated with MS risk were about seven times as likely to get MS. The combination of solvent exposure, having the genes and also smoking made people 30 times more likely to get MS.
Source: Independent
Source: Science Daily
MS Trust link: Smoking
Air pollutants not linked to MS
Common air pollutants such as fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone are "not convincingly associated" with incidence of MS according to new Canadian research
Source: MS News Today
MS Trust link: MS research updates
Cannabis review finds benefits
In the first part of a government review of cannabis, the Chief Medical Officer reports "conclusive evidence of the therapeutic benefit of cannabis based medicinal products for certain medical conditions", including spasticity in MS and chronic pain. She is in favour of medical cannabis being made available for prescriptions "under controlled conditions by registered practitioners". A second part of the review is looking at potential harm to society of changing access to cannabis. There is no intention to change the legal status of cannabis for recreational use.
Source: Department of Health and Social Care
Source: BBC
Source: Independent
MS Trust link: Cannabis
"Starting a podcast in lockdown helped us take ownership of the situation"
23 Apr 2021 - 00:00
Comedian, Jeanette and Poet, Lytisha, talk about how creating their own podcast, about life with MS, led to lots of laughs, feelings of empowerment and a sense of community during lockdown.
Twelve year old Lacey hasn't been able to hug her dad for a year
23 Apr 2021 - 00:00
Before lockdown Lacey visited her dad every other weekend, but Covid restrictions have meant she’s not been able to visit her dad in his care home and give him a hug since March 2020.
'This is my normal now. I rather like it.' Living with PPMS in lockdown
23 Apr 2021 - 00:00
John Peters tells us how his working life changed during lockdown and how he’ll be quite happy not to go back to ‘normal’.
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