The FDA approved today Biogen's Tecifera which is BG-12.

Yes awesome.

Let us all know just how awesome it is for you, Eddie.

Tecifera? How do they come up with these names? I was hoping for something a little more snazzy! . What an odd name.

Anyhow, good luck to all those who start. I know people have been waiting for this for quite awhile.

Just checked. The name is even weirder. It's actually Tecfidera. It sounds like a type of dinosaur!

seems to me that the side effects are quite mild compared to other oral drugs...any thoughts about this?

My thought exactly! Isn't that some racing/betting term? Trifecta?

We could call it technopill to make it easier.

I get all my shots through Medcos specialty pharmacy-Accredo. I just talked to them 5 mins ago and they will have the drug around April 10. He said it may be the same price as my shots or perhaps a little more so my insurance company should cover it.
I asked him if I should double check with my Blue Cross/ Blue Shield and he said this has happened so fast that they won't even know yet if its on their list. He told me to have my doc write a script, fax it to Medco/Accredo and let them take it from there.
The pharmacist said there are only two common side affects with this drug: One is flushing which can be controlled with an aspirin just before you take the med and slight tummy upset which can be taken care of with chewing a TUMS.
The pharmacist was very excited about the release of this drug for M.S. and told me he thought I would be very happy with it.
I am so excited I can hardly sit still.
He told me to just stay on the shots until everything is in order with the new pill. He said the safety record with this drug is better than the shot I'm on and halts MS progression better too. YAY!!!!!
And yes, the drug is a dinosaur.....its been around for YEARS treating psoriasis!

I'm happy for all of those people who get to go off their shots. That's great news!

But one thing I don't understand about this drug (which is known as dimethyl fumarate) is why it's not considered a poison? Dimethyl fumarate is also a biocide -- meaning it was applied to shoes and furniture to prevent mold growth. Hundreds of people got terrible rashes and allergic reactions from a load of couches that were made in China and elsewhere a few years ago.

As a result the European Union banned use of it in consumer products since 1998 and banned imports since 2009.

Wikipedia states "Dimethyl fumarate has been found to be an allergic sensitizer at very low concentrations, producing eczema that is difficult to treat. Concentrations as low as 1 ppm may produce allergic reactions.[40] There are only a handful of equally potent sensitizers."

So why would I ingest an anti-mold chemical? What makes BG-12 different than its biocidal form?