I just saw a commercial for the MS drug Tecfidera. It was actually sort of comical the way the pharmaceutical company that makes the drug portrayed MS and what it's like to have the disease.

It started with a young woman, who was walking unassisted, getting ready to go swimming. She walks (quite well) out onto the diving board. No unsteadiness, no wobbly gait. No apparent vision issues. She just seemed fine and happy to be active.

And we wonder why people are confused about MS?? If they compared me and my MS to the actress who was portraying someone with MS I would look like an invalid! There is NO comparison.

I understand that those in the early stages are sometimes symptom free......but 9 times out of 10 they don't even know they have the disease. It's usually when symptoms get bad enough and are consistently disruptive to your lifestyle that you go to the doctor and the fun begins. I do not know one person who is asymptomatic that has a diagnosis of MS and is on one of the "big guns" MS meds.

I just wish the pharmaceutical companies would be honest in their portrayal of MS.

I think part of the problem is that most people with MS either have or start out with Relapsing Remitting MS? Those are the people the drug companies target for their sales pitches?

A before and after display makes the most sense to me. It would have an impact. A wobbly person reaching for someone's arm, or the couch, or walking with a cane at the very least. Then, after taking Tecfidera, walking confidently on that diving board.

That would get my attention.

Exactly! Show the improvement the med can make. I was on Tecfidera and had to stop because of an allergic reaction. Plus it made me feel a-w-f-u-l.

It just came on TV again. I watched it closer this time. It shows the woman hiking, swimming, going to a carnival and riding the rides. All the things I miss doing but having been on Tec I know even with it I wouldn't/couldn't do those things.

Big Pharma STINKS!!!!

I agree that they're targeting the RRMS people. The disease-modifying drugs aren't known to have any beneficial effect on people with progressive types of MS, and apparently those drugs work far better on people with MS that has come on recently than on people who've had MS for years.

Hi Kitty,

I just saw the ad on TV last night of which you speak, before seeing this thread. I do not have MS so I am not sure I should be posting a response.

BUT, from someone that is not afflicted with MS, has little and no understanding of the condition, I still have to agree with you that the ad does not indicate adequately, the problems one encounters with having this condition. Whether it be relapsing or progressive, it made it appear that their drug would make everything all better and symptom free at all times.

The ONLY positive about the ad is it does bring MS to the attention of the general public. A better portrayal of the symptoms and suffering would be appreciated.

If the ad makes just one person more empathetic to the life of a MS person, at least that is something positive.

Thanks for the thread.

I lost count of the number of times I saw the ad now, but didn't anyone catch "may cause yadayada a fatal brain infection" while showing the woman symptom free as well...

I'm taking copaxone, and haven't had any new lesions, but it hasn't stopped the symptoms from progressing, and hasn't healed any of the symptoms I did have. At no point did any of the doctors or nurses even suggest that I would reverse any of the symptoms I already had, nor that any drugs on the market would. Well aside from various medications to treat the symptoms.

Thank you so much for responding. I was hoping someone "neutral" would join in.

I'm sure folks with other diseases that have similar type symptoms can understand the frustration with this ad.

My main gripe is that in my opinion people who have MS but do not have any symptoms do not take any of the MS meds. They probably don't even know they have the disease! I sure didn't. And when I had the relapsing symptoms they were mild enough for me to chalk up to other reasons. I did make an appointment with the doctor once when my legs went numb but by the time the appointment rolled around the numbness had passed......not to return for some 10 years! I figured it was a pinched nerve.

Plus, the risk of PML and the other side effects this particular drug has......I'd have to be having some mighty severe symptoms to agree to take it. Especially if I was otherwise "healthy". Just from my experience with Tecfidea I can say if I wasn't sick before I took it I sure as heck would be after being on it for nearly a year.

I give it a thumbs down (the ad and the med).

I'll bet the people in the ad don't even know anyone with MS, much less about symptoms. It drives me nuts the way they seem to think everyone with this crummy disease is the same!