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Initial high-efficacy MS therapy tied to less disability later


 

Confirmatory evidence?

Commenting on the findings, Robert Gross, MD, a neurologist at the Rocky Mountain MS Center at the University of Colorado Denver in Aurora, said it is “hard to believe we are still having this debate” about earlier versus later HET.

There are now “numerous studies, including head-to-head trials and large cohort studies, showing superiority of highly efficacious agents to older disease-modifying therapies of more limited efficacy, as well as better outcomes with early versus delayed use of high-efficacy therapy,” said Dr. Gross, who was not involved with the current research.

“This study further adds to the evidence that we should be preferentially starting folks with relapsing-remitting MS right away on high-efficacy therapy, rather than waiting for relapses and disease progression to occur,” he added.

Drs. He and Gross have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

This article first appeared on Medscape.com.

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