The MS Wire

News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis

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Medical Bills and My EOB: Trust, but Verify

“Trust, but verify” was a key concept during the U.S.-Soviet nuclear negotiations of the 1980s. “Trust,” President Ronald Reagan would say, “but verify” that what’s being said is actually being done. I apply that same concept to my bank, trusting that it has all of my checking account information correct, but also verifying their records against mine every month. I do the same with my credit card bills, and just…Continue Reading

MS Patients Get Caught on an Insurance Deductible Snag

MS drugs are expensive. Many people with MS are able to afford their high prices only because their insurance covers most of the cost. Then what remains as a copay has often been covered by the pharmaceutical companies that produce those meds, who have offered patient assistance programs or discount cards to help pay the copay. So, your out-of-pocket costs have been minimal or none. Now, however, that paradigm is…Continue Reading

Two MS Medications Appear on FDA’s Shame List

Pills

Two multiple sclerosis medications that are both popular and expensive are on a new “shame list” that U.S. regulators hope will increase price competition. The medications are Ampyra (dalfampridine), made by Acorda, and Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), by Biogen. They’re included on a list of more than 50 medications whose manufacturers, according to the Food and Drug Administration, are putting obstacles in front of companies that want to create cheaper, generic versions.…Continue Reading

I Have MS but I’m Lucky

National Nurses Week was earlier this month. So, I’m a little late in saying it but thank you, nurses. And thank you to my doctors and their staffs, too. I’m lucky to have had wonderful medical care. I’ve had a couple of top-notch neurologists and some great support staffs. My luck began in August 1980 with Dr. Stanley Cohan. Dr. Cohan, was a neurologist at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington,…Continue Reading

MS, Walkers, Wheelchairs and Guns – Part 2

A little over a year ago, in my column on the MS New Today website, I asked if it was safe for someone with MS to handle a gun. I wondered whether there would be safety issues due to problems with grip strength, balance, eyesight, and all the other various difficulties people with MS have to one extent or another. A Facebook post from a woman with MS who’d been…Continue Reading

Website Reports How Much Money Your Doctor Gets from Drug Companies

Biogen, a pharmaceutical company that markets half a dozen MS therapies, is accused of paying doctors to prescribe its medications. A former Biogen employee claimed that the company paid fake consulting and speaking fees to doctors who prescribed Avonex (interferon beta-1a) and Tysabri (natalizumab) in 2009 and 2010. The company now faces a False Claims Act lawsuit in Massachusetts. Biogen also markets Fampyra (fampridine), Plegridy (peginterferon beta-1a), Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), and Zinbryta…Continue Reading

We’ve Added an MS Medications Page

As I cruise around MS groups on social media I see a lot of questions involving MS medications. People want to know which meds are available to treat various symptoms. There’s also a lot of interest in comparing disease-modifying therapies, particularly the two newest: Ocrevus and Lemtrada. To help a little with this information search, I’ve added an MS Medications page to The MS Wire. You’ll see that the page…Continue Reading

Research Reveals Another Possible Link Between Epstein-Barr and MS

For years researchers have believed a link exists between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis. But scientists have had a hard time finding a precise association. Now, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are reporting another possible connection. Researchers at the Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center have found a viral protein in EBV-infected cells. They think that the protein may turn on a “switch” that…Continue Reading

Is This a Key that Unlocks a Door for MS Stem Cell Treatments?

Stem cell therapy

Americans who want to treat their MS with a stem cell transplant have a tough road to follow. They’re forced to travel to Russia, Mexico, or somewhere else out of the country and to spend a lot of money to avoid the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s stem cell treatment barrier. But now, a crack may be appearing in that wall. An article in STAT reports on surgeons at Houston’s Memorial…Continue Reading

A New Look for The MS Wire

As you can see, if you’re reading this, The MS Wire has a new look. The idea is to make the site easier to read and navigate. I hope you like this new format. Of course, comments or suggestions for improvements are always welcome. Ed