Latest News
International Nurses Day: Celebrating those very special specialists
This Saturday 12th May, sees us recognising International Nurses Day. It’s no coincidence that it’s also the birthday of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale.
For many of us in the MS community, this day is the perfect time to...
Budget 2018 - A mix of sweet and sour for the MS community
MS Australia (MSA) welcomes some sweet choices for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the 2018-19 Australian Budget, but mixed with some sour notes too.
We make the following specific observations:
HEALTH
MSA welcomes the...
PBS listing for MAVENCLAD® (cladribine tablets) for RRMS not recommended by PBAC
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) announced at 4pm today (20/4/18), they have not recommended the listing of MAVENCLAD® (cladribine tablets) for relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
The PBAC said that it, “did not recommend the...
World MS Day 2018 - six weeks away!
Exciting news from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF)!
MS Australia marks Advance Care Planning Week – 16-22 April 2018
If you couldn’t speak for yourself, who would you want to speak on your behalf?
What decisions about your healthcare would you want them to make?
Planning medical care in advance regardless of your age or health is really important, and particularly so if you have a chronic illness...
ZINBRYTA (daclizumab) voluntary withdrawal – Federal Department of Health/TGA statement
Please talk to your neurologist if you are on Zinbryta.
Further to our 5/3/18 news report on the withdrawal of ZINBRYTA (daclizumab), the Department of Health/TGA issued a statement on 15 March 2018, with extra information for the public, health professionals and neurologists...
MS Australia CEO, Deidre Mackechnie, celebrates International Women's Day 2018
International Women’s Day provides a worldwide focus on gender disparity. But also gives us a day to celebrate the contribution of all women and to acknowledge the challenges faced by many.
For more than 17,000 women living in Australia that challenge is Multiple Sclerosis.
...
ZINBRYTA (daclizumab) voluntary withdrawal
As reported in various media outlets over the weekend, pharmaceutical companies Biogen and AbbVie have announced the voluntary worldwide withdrawal for ZINBRYTA ® (daclizumab) for Relapsing multiple sclerosis.
As stated in the official media release (link below), patients currently...
Rare Disease Day - Wednesday 28th February 2018
Ocrevus™ (ocrelizumab) for RRMS - Federal Government approves PBS listing
The Federal Government today announced the listing of Ocrevus ™ (ocrelizumab) for relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
In 2017, Ocrevus ™ was registered for use in Australia by the...
Medicinal Cannabis and Multiple Sclerosis – What does it all mean for me?
Considering the progress made in both legislation and availability of medicinal cannabis and its derived products over the last year, we would like to provide some guidance to anyone affected by MS to help in navigating this sticky subject.
Firstly, some background:...