Your Patients with Multiple Sclerosis have Set Wellness as a High Priority—And the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is Responding

Abstract

Over the past few years, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (Society) has been analyzing topics of importance to the MS community across a variety of communication channels. The data show a trend toward decreased trust in pharmacologic approaches and increased interest in more holistic approaches to MS treatment. People living with MS want to know what they can do today—particularly related to diet, exercise, and emotional wellness—to feel and function at their best. In addition, they want the support of knowledgeable healthcare professionals who are armed with accurate information about wellness interventions. This article reports the findings and conclusions from a recent meeting convened by the Society, during which clinicians, researchers, people with MS, and Society staff reviewed what is currently known about diet, exercise, and emotional issues in MS; identified key questions to be answered in each of these domains, along with the research gaps and challenges to be addressed to arrive at the answers; made specific programmatic recommendations to ensure that people living with MS are getting the personalized support and information they need to achieve wellness; and determined next steps to move this important priority forward, some of which are already underway.