b'Medicine & Researchthese are likely to prevent relapse for up to arelapse.That same literature review revealed year after the last dose. These are also safethat 32 percent of those remaining on a DMT during breastfeeding, but may require thehad the same response; so these results were mother to pump and dump for several hoursconsistent with the ndings of DISCO-MS. after an infusion to assure safely breastfeeding.Hematopoietic stem cell therapyNoneoftheoralmedicationsaresafefor conception, pregnancy, or breastfeeding. This treatment for MS is highly effective in For more information on what DMTs andmany individuals and may reverse disability symptom management medications may bein most. However, this treatment seems to only safe to use during this time in a womans life,give an average of ve-to-six years of optimal go to mothertobaby.org.protection before progression resumes and a DMT may need to be taken again. It seems to Aging with MS work best in individuals who are newly Aging was addressed to varying degreesdiagnosed with MS (fewer than ve to 10 years) in several of this years sessions. Back in the days,andhavefailedothereffectivetherapies. before our disease-modifying medicationsOnly two clinical trials on HSCT have been were available, the average age of individualsconducted to date, with fewer than 150 living with MS was around 40 with lifeparticipants in each of the trials. BEAT-MS expectancy placed at about 58 years of age.(beat-ms.org) is a new stem cell clinical trial We were told by several presenters that today,that is being launched in 19 sites across the U.S., the average age of people with MS is 53.2 withCanada and the UK and is currently recruiting. life expectancy projected to be in the 70s.Persons between the ages of 18 and 55 with Because of this shift and the normal slowingactive relapsing MS who are on a disease-of the immune system as we age, researchersmodifying therapy may be eligible for this are wondering if it is feasible to stop a DMT iftrial. The trial will be comparing stem cell anindividualhasbeenstableforseveraltreatment to a control group on high efficacy years on medication. DMT (Ocrevus, Rituxan, Lemtrada, Cladribine). The DISCO-MS trial, which was recentlyEmerging information from previous HSCT completed, had half of the participants whoparticipants conrms that both males and were stable on medication discontinuefemales appear to become infertile after this treatment while the other half would continuetherapy.WhenthefirstHSCTtrialswere the medication. That trial showed a relativelyconducted, DMTs were less effective than the even number of individuals in each arm ofones that we have today.the trial (those on and those off medication)Cognitive changeshad a relapse or new MRI activity. About 70 percent of individuals with MS will The NYS Consortium presented a continuingexperience a decline in cognitive function. education program in which, they conductedPeople with progressive forms of MS are more a review of 26 studies looking at similar trialslikely to exhibit this decline versus those with and concluded that one-third of all individualsrelapsingforms.Noneofthemedications coming off a DMT had new disease activity orused to treat memory problems in the aging msfocusmagazine.org 48'