Tysabri can be rx'd for SPMS but if his doc is going to allow the continuation of Tysabri, then that's between him and the doc. Paperwork is paperwork, we all know that!

I find it hard to believe that a neurogolist knows nothing about Tysabri since it has been openly on the market since November of 2004 in the US and all the publicity it has received since March of '05. This doc must live in a vacuum not to know "nothing" about it. He must choose not to be educated. I would "run like a bunny" if I was his patient.

As RW said, in order to have a Patient receiving Tysabri, he MUST be enrolled in the TOUCH protocol so his lack of knowledge is self proclaimed and he is lying to his patient. There are those neurologists who choose not to rx the drug and therefore remain ignorant.

If the patient is ill, running a fever, has any concerns at all while getting ready to receive his infusion and cannot answer yes (or is it no, I don't remember) to all the questions, then the infusion center has a duty bound obligation NOT to infuse. Or get the prescribing neurologists permission to override. They can lose their certification.

It's pretty clear on the form what their duty to the patient is...

If it were me...I would not jeopardize my health because the doc wants to hide his head in the sand.

I would be looking elsewhere and fast. I would also be contacting Biogen directly and bypassing MsActivesource.

You want email addresses or phone numbers?

Thanks, RW and Cheryl.

You are right, Cheryl . . . "paperwork is paperwork". I found out this neuro is not TOUCH certified, but his old MS Specialist left a 6 month rx on file so that the patients wouldn't be imminently affected by him leaving. Not sure what's supposed to happen after that, but I guess he will have to look for another neuro or quit anyway.

There are no neuro's that are Tysabri-literate, close to where he lives in CA, but perhaps he can travel to find one.

He has worked with a case-worker (at Biogen?, or the infusion center?) to no avail. He says he can never get a straight answer out of Biogen anyway, as his neuro is supposed monitor him ...

He postponed his infusion during this infection. Not sure where he'll go from here.

Thanks for the information.

Cherie