I just came from the first meeting of a new support group being offered and run by a MS specialist and a MS nurse. The first topic, tonight, was the new orals, and in particular, Gilenya.

Aside from really going into the warnings, how and when and why it may or may not be rxd, she also talked a bit about the trials, and the FDA approval process. This was at Northwestern and they participated in some of both the head-up and placebo phases of testing.

She said that she was very suprised at the almost easy and relaxed approval process.

The reason I came to this thread to post is that she said that there is very, very little in the way of mandated testing for people using this drug, and she did say that she thinks it may have to do with insurance companies...although it is new, and despite some of the known side effects, there is no requirement that a patient be given more than an intial eye exam, intial bloodwork, an intial MRI, and intial EKG. So she said that there may be some creativity needed in getting all of this covered at the frequency she would like to see it done.

So the thing is, there may be some more added costs depending on what your insurance does and does not cover. And for those without insurance, this could be a real issue.

huh, no wonder so much resistance about the liberation therapy thing...think of the money the drug companies would lose if we were not sooo desparate for their ineffective drugs.

Well, remember, the Liberation doesn't get you off the CRABs. But I did bring up LDN, and definitely, that is why so few studies on that drug.