…MS 2019; abstract P751). Overall, only 6.6% of this cohort remained relapse-free. CDW was reported in 7.6% in the fingolimod group versus 8.8% in the injectable group. The overall rate of PIRA was 4.1% with fingolimod and 3.1% with injectables. As in the previous study, a higher-efficacy DMT did not provide additional benefit with respect to PIRA. The caveat is that >90% over the observation period experienced a relapse so the proportion with PIRA…

…te of cannabis use in B.C. were the findings from a joint study by the University of Toronto and Waterloo University. The researchers found that neurocognitive test scores improved if MS patients were weed-free for a month (Feinstein et al. ECTRIMS 2019; P542). So 2020 may see patient sheets including the instruction: SDMT – Stop Doing Marijuana Today, or Sorry Dude, Marijuana’s Taboo….

…TRIMS 2019 (Clifford et al. ECTRIMS 2019; abstract P970): six cases in anti-JCV Ab-positive patients who had previously received natalizumab (JCV index range 1.06-4.11), and one case in an anti-JCV Ab-negative patient previously treated with fingolimod. The time from ocrelizumab initiation to PML diagnosis was 18-92 days in prior natalizumab patients, and 16 days for the prior fingolimod patient. Four cases occurred in the U.S., and 1 case each wa…