Changing the course of the MS landscape

“It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data,” shared Sherlock Holmes, the highly intelligent – and perhaps psychic – fictional consulting detective from the late 19th century.

Today, the application of data in healthcare holds huge potential to support clinical decision-making, monitor disease progression, and drive policy change to improve public health. When it comes to neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), where knowledge gaps exist, data becomes even more valuable. Having worked in MS, and seeing the ongoing research and significant progress made in managing the disease, it’s rewarding to see how data is being used to reveal the true impact of MS globally – for those living with the condition and on health systems – and reinforcing the call for?people with MS to have the right treatment early on. My colleague Paulo Fontoura, Global Head and SVP Neuroscience, has also been reflecting on the progress of MS research.

Knowledge gaps in MS

MS has a substantial physical and emotional impact on the 2.8 million people it affects worldwide. With an age of symptom onset most frequently between 20 and 40 years of age, it is the leading cause of acquired non-traumatic disability in younger adults. What’s more, MS affects a diverse range of people, and understanding how the disease and treatments impact everyone is important to achieving better outcomes for all.

While advancements in MS care have been made, the progressive, unpredictable nature comes with a lot of unknowns for people with MS, healthcare providers, and health systems. Early initiation of treatment is an important goal of managing MS by slowing, stopping and ideally preventing disease activity and progression as early as possible. This, in turn, has the ability to reduce both direct and indirect healthcare costs. For example, disability progression can have an immense impact on a person’s ability to live independently, and if we can slow that progression early, it can lessen the need for a caretaker and other support resources for many years.

Data and the Brain Health Initiative

Data generation is fundamental to driving effective change and tackling the societal impact of neurological disorders, including MS. Data insights from a number of studies suggest that MS is a progressive disease from the start, regardless of which type a person is diagnosed with. The more data we have, the more we can understand the progressive nature of MS, and how medicines can be tailored to patients’ individual needs, such as those of different ethnicities or those wanting to start a family.

The Brain Health Initiative (BHI) was launched by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, with support from Roche, to generate first-of-its-kind evidence on the health and economic impact of brain disorders, including MS, to drive better decision-making in policy, research and investment. Through the development of the Brain Health Atlas, which is a free interactive tool, we can measure the global burden over time and geographies. With robust and reputable data, we can help to find new ways to unlock the value of innovation to reduce the scale and impact of brain disorders like MS worldwide.

Roche is committed to MS

The call for ongoing research, innovation and solutions to enhance accessibility for individuals living with MS is evident, and data should?play a pivotal role in achieving this goal. Roche is dedicated to utilising and actively participating in data collection to drive improved outcomes for people with MS.

What role do you see data having in advancing our knowledge of MS and how it is managed and treated?