"Balance...a medication that works for you, a support system and a doctor you trust."
Making Your Decision
Deciding which therapy is right for you
When considering a therapy, you may want to ask your doctor the following questions:
Need help tracking your injections?
- Has it been proven to modify all 3 key measures of MS disease activity: disability, relapses, and MRI brain lesion activity and area?
- Has it been proven to work better compared with another MS therapy in a head-to-head clinical study?
- Does it have a safety profile that is supported by long-term experience?
- Does it offer features that may make it easier to stay on therapy?
The exact correlation between MRI findings and the current or future clinical status of patients, including disability progression, is unknown.
"Many people choose a therapy based on how often it is taken—but they don't ask why there's a difference in the dose and frequency of interferon products. The fact is, the dose of interferon and how often it is taken are shown to affect how well it works. In clinical studies, higher, more frequent doses of interferon beta have been shown to work better than lower, less frequent doses."
— Sylvia Lucas, MD Clinical Professor of Neurology at University of Washington Medical Center
"I would have appreciated the opportunity to sit down with someone and have them walk me through the therapy options and explain their similarities and differences. During the diagnosis I was handed information about 3 drug therapies and told to make a decision on which one I wanted to start. The entire decision was on my shoulders and I did not have enough information. I was overwhelmed, confused, and scared. It's important to have an effective therapy because I want to safely slow down the progression of my relapsing MS. It is important to me that what I put into my body be safe and effective."
— Tara, MS LifeLines Ambassador
This reflects the personal experience of one person, and others can be different. Results and experiences vary from patient to patient. It is best to contact your doctor to discuss what's best for you. Tara is an MS LifeLines Ambassador, and she has chosen to share her story with other people living with MS.
