Researching COVID-19 in progressive MS requires a globally coordinated, multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach—perspectives from the International Progressive MS Alliance

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the importance of research for the health of our society and highlighted the need for stakeholders of the health research and care continuum to form a collaborative and interdependent ecosystem. Objective With the world still reeling from waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and adapting to the vaccine rollout at widely different rates, the International Progressive MS Alliance (hereafter Alliance) organized a meeting (April 2021) to consider how the Covid-19 pandemic impacts the health and well-being of people with progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Methods We invited the Alliance stakeholders and experts to present what they have learned about SARS-CoV-2 infection and progressive MS and to define future scientific priorities. Results The meeting highlighted three priorities for additional focus: (1) the impact of Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) on the risk of COVID-19 and on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in people with progressive MS; (2) the long-term impact of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines on the biology of progressive MS; and (3) the impact on well-being of people with progressive MS. Conclusion This paper's calls to action could represent a path toward a shared research agenda. Multi-stakeholder and long-term investigations will be required to drive and evolve such an agenda.