The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) recognizes March as MS Awareness Month. MSAA urges everyone to help raise awareness of multiple sclerosis throughout your community and help improve the lives today for people with MS and their families.

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is pleased to offer the latest MS Research Update, available as both a printed and online publication. This vital resource provides a comprehensive overview of research findings on the ten FDA-approved disease-modifying therapies for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as the latest study results on many experimental treatments currently under investigation. Directions for future research are also presented.

The Multiple Sclerosis Coalition (MSC) is a collaborative network of independent MS organizations whose mission is to increase opportunities for cooperation and provide greater opportunity to leverage the effective use of resources for the benefit of the MS community. Members of this organization have collectively sent a letter to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), asking for clarification and reconsideration of various issues involved in the FDA’s recent denial of Lemtrada™ (alemtuzumab, formerly Campath).

On January 28, 2014, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced that the new, three-times-per-week dosing of Copaxone® (glatiramer acetate), at the more concentrated dose of 40 mg, has been approved by the FDA. This new formulation enables individuals who take Copaxone to reduce their number of subcutaneous injections by 60 percent – from seven times per week to three times – once they are prescribed the new dosing regimen by their doctor. Teva states that in addition to the newly approved dose, daily Copaxone at the traditional 20-mg dose will continue to be available.

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) announces a national call for entries for the Swim for MS – Why I Swim campaign, through a collaborative sponsorship with Genzyme, a Sanofi company. Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) who currently swim or participate in water-based exercise programs are encouraged to visit SwimForMS.org and share their personal story about how water activities have impacted their lives.

On November 13, 2013, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a meeting to discuss Lemtrada® (alemtuzumab, also known as Campath), a new treatment that has been submitted for approval to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite concerns over the drug’s safety as well as study design, the FDA’s committee voted to recommend the drug for approval.

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) will hold a live webinar on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for individuals with multiple sclerosis on November 19, 2013 at 8 pm Eastern Standard Time. Titled The New Insurance Marketplace and MS, this one-hour webinar will provide an understandable explanation of the new health insurance Marketplace with specific information on key areas that will significantly impact the multiple sclerosis community.

This year’s 29th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) was held in Copenhagen, Denmark in October, 2013. Each year, ECTRIMS hosts the world’s largest annual international meeting devoted entirely to research and care in multiple sclerosis (MS). More than 1,500 abstracts and posters were presented at this year’s conference, providing the latest findings in MS research, treatments, symptom management, and patient care to an estimated audience of nearly 7,000 MS professionals from around the world.