One of our members said “I don’t think I would have got enhanced on both for PIP without their help – it really was invaluable”. There are two VIP memberships that you can pay monthly for at £4.99 or £11.99. Our member paid £11.99 and did it for 3 months.
Men hold secret to protect women from multiple sclerosis
Source EurekAlert:
Guardian molecule induced by testosterone reverses harmful immune response, eliminates disease symptoms in female mice.
Discovery in males leads to new target for MS therapy for womenWomen have three-to-four times the incidence of MS than menTestosterone-induced molecule appears to explain why men are protected’This is why it’s vital to study sex differences in research’
CHICAGO — Men are much less likely to get multiple sclerosis (MS) than women and one reason is that they are protected by high levels of testosterone.
Scientists have now discovered how it works. Using a mouse model of MS, they have identified a guardian molecule — triggered by testosterone — that appears to protect males from disease. When female mice with disease are treated with this protective molecule, their symptoms were eliminated, reports a new study from Northwestern Medicine. Read on.
PIPs: What next for benefit claimants?
Source BBC:
BMSTC Member Sue Doughty is mentioned in the article – “Sue Doughty lives in Twyford, Berkshire. She has multiple sclerosis. She faced homelessness and had to rely on help from her daughter.
Following a year spent in appeal, the Court of Tribunal awarded Sue PIP ongoing for life.”
“Every person receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP) is to have their claim reviewed.
This follows a decision by the Department for Work and Pensions not to challenge a court ruling saying changes to PIP – which limited the support received by people with mental health conditions – were unfair.
Three people tell us their feelings about the review and what impact a change to their claims could have on their lives.” Read on.
NICE proposes rejecting five drugs for relapsing MS – MS Trust responds
Source MS Trust:
NICE has recommended Extavia, but rejected Copaxone, Avonex, Betaferon, Plegridy and Rebif in its preliminary appraisal of MS drugs. The MS Trust has responded to NICE’s consultation in the strongest possible terms.
On 20 December 2017 NICE published(link is external) its preliminary decision on the use of Copaxone and the five beta interferon drugs (Avonex, Betaferon, Extavia, Plegridy and Rebif) by the NHS in England. It is not yet clear what implications this will have in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
NICE has recommended the following:
Extavia is recommended as a treatment for people with relapsing remitting MS or secondary progressive MS with continued relapses
Copaxone, Avonex, Betaferon, Plegridy and Rebif are not recommended
Anyone already taking one of the drugs will not be affected by this guidance and can continue without change until they and their neurologist consider it appropriate to stop.
NICE has acknowledged that all six drugs are equally effective at reducing the number of relapses and slowing down disability progression. The decision to approve Extavia and not the other five drugs is based on the cost of the drugs; Copaxone and the other beta interferons are more expensive than Extavia.
If you are already taking one of these drugs, you will not be affected and can continue without change.
100 winners for January
1st prize Sue Doran
2nd prize Richard Twine
3rd prize Beryl Slater
Milton Park Newsletter – January 2018
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MEPC’s Development Manager, Miles Jones running the London Marathon for MS Therapy Centre
MEPC’s Development Manager, Miles Jones running the London Marathon for MS Therapy Centre
For this year’s London Marathon on 22nd April 2018, Miles Jones is raising money for Milton Park’s resident and nominated charity: MS Therapy Centre. To kick start his training, Miles is using his commute to and from work to help.
To help Miles and Milton Park reach the £1,500 target for MS Therapy Centre you can make donations at his virginmoney page:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MiltonPark
MEPC will be giving updates of Miles’ journey on social media and on the website.
MEPC’s Development Manager, Miles Jones running the London Marathon for MS Therapy Centre
For this year’s London Marathon on 22nd April 2018, Miles Jones is raising money for Milton Park’s resident and nominated charity: MS Therapy Centre. To kick start his training, Miles is using his commute to and from work to help.
To help Miles and Milton Park reach the £1,500 target for MS Therapy Centre you can make donations at his virginmoney page:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MiltonPark
MEPC will be giving updates of Miles’ journey on social media and on the website.
Be kind to your mind
Source MS Trust: 
We often focus solely on our physical health but looking after our mental health is also vital to our sense of wellbeing. Jo Johnson, a consultant neuropsychologist with a special interest in MS, introduces practical steps you can take to improve and maintain your mental wellbeing.
“Most of us spend a lot of time caught up in our heads – regretting the past, fearing the future or just trying to manage the challenges of the day. Getting hooked up into our heads causes stress but it also can mean that many moments of pleasure pass by unnoticed because we aren’t paying attention” Find out more here.
Ocrelizumab licensed for people with early primary progressive MS in the UK
Source MS Society:
Ocrelizumab has been approved as the first licensed treatment for some people with primary progressive MS in the UK.
Recently recommended by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), today the European Commission approved the licence.
UK regulators will now decide whether ocrelizumab should be available on the NHS.
Who can get ocrelizumab?
- The conditions of the licence mean ocrelizumab (brand name Ocrevus) can only be prescribed for people with early primary progressive MS. This means:
- people who have evidence of inflammatory activity identified through an MRI scan
- Other factors that will be taken into consideration are:
- how long they’ve lived with MS symptoms
- their level of disability
Read more here.
From Thursday 1st February ALL oxygen sessions will start at 10.30am
From Thursday 1st February ALL oxygen sessions will start at 10.30am. Oxygen is available Monday–Friday.
