http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...t-1991104.html

Why MS Drugs Don't Work....

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease. It may take 40 years to run its course. In developing drugs to slow its progression, doctors have used brain scans to show lesions which the drugs appeared to prevent, and gave quicker results. Some experts thought the lesions were the disease but little effort was made to check. But preventing lesion formation does not prevent disability caused by the condition. The drugs deal with the lesions, not the disease.

Jeremy Laurance

My question is: what causes the disease/disability? Isn't it the formation of lesions?
And don't the DMDs slow down or prevent the formation of lesions?

Okay, that's two questions...I can't count well due to lesions...

That doesn't explain the research results of, for instance, Copaxone. I haven't had any relapses or new symptoms while on it either. Before I started the DMDs it was new icky stuff happening all the time and it got even better with Copaxone.

when researching DMD a few months back...I came across this on the official copaxone website;

"Copaxone does NOT have an indication for reducing the progression of disability"
http://www.copaxone.com/NewlyDiagnosed/pivotTrial.aspx
scroll to the very bottom of the page.

this is one of the reasons I decided against DMD.....and just went with LDN.

Maybe Copaxone is a mystery, like LDN. I'm not going to quit LDN, because some Docs scoff at it. I wouldn't quit C either, if I were you.

It could also have something to do with the things going on in Europe with their sinking economy. They're in a crisis situation and they are very likely looking for any reason to not supply expensive medicines such as those for MS. If you read the article and look for the key terms you might see what I mean.

There will always be reasons to avoid the DMDs for those who wish to take that route. I choose to use the medicines that have been trialed and shown to have beneficial effects for MS. My MS neuro has been studying this for over three decades and he works for a clinic that takes a majority of medicaid patients so he isn't getting rich off of this, but he's involved in research trials for MS and, (mayo trained) and I believe what he says. There are people who fly across the country to see him.

I'm sticking with Copaxone after many years of my own research but I admit I could not afford it without insurance.

This will be interesting to follow--not only this thread, but the reaction (assuming there will be one) of the medical community, specifically neurology.

I'm not sure, but I think the Disease Causes the lesion, not the other way around. Brain lesions can be caused by other events, as well, such as a stroke etc..