News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis

Is it time to end testing drugs on animals?

Lab mouse used for drug testing.

The headline on the news release that dropped into my in-box recently read: “FDA Announces Plan to Phase Out Animal Testing Requirement for Monoclonal Antibodies and Other Drugs.” Take animals out of the drug approval process? Really? Monocolonal antibody therapies are some of the highest efficacy treatments in the multiple sclerosis (MS) arsenal. They include Tysabri (natalizumab) Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), Ocrevus (ocrelizumab, Kesimpta (ofatumumab), and Briumvi (ublituximab). (Notice the “mab” at…Continue Reading

Do animal studies raise our MS treatment hopes too high?

Man with fingers crossed

Mice exaggerate and monkeys lie, some researchers jokingly say. (Or is it the other way around?) Testing on rodents and animals is a typical early step in creating medications, and several multiple sclerosis news sites publish articles about these studies. It’s interesting to read what researchers are studying and the experimental MS treatments they hope will work, especially when it comes to the holy grail of MS treatments which, in…Continue Reading