Drugs tested for effectiveness in relieving the symptoms of multiple sclerosis |
One point about multiple sclerosis other that the fact that the medical community has currently been powerless to cure it is that they are always looking at new drugs for multiple sclerosis. The last years in prescription have shown some promise in the creation of new drugs or the use of drugs designed for other illnesses being tested for their effectiveness in relieving the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Some of these drugs while having achievement treating the effects and symptoms of multiple sclerosis have had some serious side effects. One of the new drugs for multiple sclerosis sufferers is Fingolimod, in the investigational phase for multiple sclerosis patients it has been in use for some time as an immunosuppressant in patients with leukemia with some figure out of success. To test its effectiveness a three year trial involving some 255 patients who were treated with a breed of dosages and a placebo to evaluate the drug's effectiveness. The testing of new drugs for multiple sclerosis takes many times and the test for Fingolimod took place over three years by which time 255 of the autochthonous 277 test patients remained. The patients were administered either a dose of 5.0mg, 1.25 mg or a placebo and the results tested for both thousand of relapses and the number of lesions seen on a multiple sclerosis. The test results showed that patients showed a median amount to number of lesions in an multiple sclerosis that was lower, with results showing 1.25 mg of Fingolimod (1 lesion, P<0.001) and 5.0 mg of Fingolimod (3 lesions, P=0.006) than with placebo (5 lesions). They also noted that for those on the placebo that the average relapse rate was 0.77 when compared to 0.36 for those on 1.25mg and 0.35 for those on 5.0mg. The side effects of drugs seen so far have been dyspnea, nasopharyngitis, diarrhea, difficulty and nausea. The results so far seem very promising for multiple sclerosis patients but as with any new medication one time and testing will tell. |