In our September article we shared some of the key findings from The MS in America Study (MSIA), highlighting some of the ways that multiple sclerosis (MS) impacts the everyday lives of those with this condition. In addition to collecting information about the impact of MS, we also asked people with MS to tell us about their treatment, including what they’ve tried, if they were satisfied, and what they are currently taking for their MS. Because oral therapies are relatively new to the treatment armamentarium, we decided to take a closer look at the use of oral therapies for MS in our community.

As one would expect, infusions, interferons, and other injectables are still used by a majority of MS patients. However, results from MSIA, which was completed by more than 5,000 eligible respondents, demonstrated that oral medications for MS are used by nearly one third of patients who have relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), and more than 50% of people using injectables are considering switching to an oral medication!

We asked all survey participants how long they have been on their current therapy, and as one would expect, those who were taking oral medication for RRMS reported being on that treatment for a shorter period of time than those who were on other treatments (like injectables or infusion).

Interestingly, the vast majority (80%) of people who had ever taken an oral therapy for MS reported that they were still taking an oral MS treatment.

We also asked participants several questions about switching therapies. Most of those who reported switching from injectables noted that they did so due to needle fatigue and/or issues of tolerability. Other reasons included seeking better efficacy, convenience, safety, and cost, among others.

Many MSIA participants who had not recently taken an MS treatment reported that they had started anew with an oral medication due to a variety of reasons, including dislike of needles, and disease progression, among others.

Finally, of the MSIA respondents who were still taking injectables to treat their RRMS, nearly half (48%) said they have considered switching to an oral therapy. While much remains unknown about the long-term use of oral therapies for MS, it is clear that oral medications for MS play a critical role in how this condition is treated. For more results from the MSIA special report on oral treatments for MS, click here.