Welcome to “MS News Notes,” a column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Here’s a look at what’s been happening:
MS is costly to patients and society
People with MS understand how costly the disease can be in terms of treatments, insurance, quality of life, and other factors. But the MS News Today story “Disability leads to great costs for patients, society: Real-world data” looks at a study that goes beyond personal expenses.
The study, which reviewed the records of 22,000 people with MS in Germany, reports that as disability increased, so did medical costs and other expenses related to things like mobility aids and support services. Indirect costs, such as the need to use sick time at work or rely on government assistance programs, also increased. None of this should be surprising.
