[Re-sent] March 13, 2024

Your FUMS 6-Pack Just Arrived 🍻🍻🍻

March 18, 2024

Hey - 

How did "springing forward" go for you? It has MESSED. ME. UP. And my little dog too! 👠 (I was going for the ruby slippers here.) Snickers is a 15-year-old Morkie who does not appreciate losing an hour of sleep. She has made a career of sleep at this point and losing an hour has her confused and waking at odd hours. Which means I'm waking at odd hours as well. It's like having an infant again. Snickers, however, is able to make up for that lost time literally ALL. DAY. LONG.

Good for you queen. 👑  Sleep on.

I, on the other hand, have to try to form full sentences throughout the day - which has been a particular challenge since moving the clock ahead. Regardless - I have pulled myself together enough to curate a very tasty selection of fine brews for you today.  

Shall we??

1.  Did you know that pharmaceuticals get patents - and then those patents expire? Yep. That's a very simplistic explanation. There is a lot more nuance to it than that. Like, for instance, there's a difference between a patent and exclusivity. If this interests you, here's where do go for a deep dive:

  As you can imagine, there are drugs coming off patent all the time. On this year's list - is a couple of favorites in the MS community: Tysabri & Myrbetriq.  Want to learn more?

2.  How many "comorbidities" do you have? That's other shit you have to deal with. Most people with MS have other shit too. As if MS isn't enough. I like to think of us as the ultimate overachievers.  

3.  It’s been known for decades that microglia in MS patients sometimes form atypical clumps called microglia nodules. These nodules are seen in brain tissue that otherwise doesn’t appear damaged, and some researchers have proposed they could be an early sign of lesion formation.  Tissue samples with these nodules also show more lesions and active lesions.  

4. Did you know that the number 1 symptom that gets people diagnosed is Optic Neuritis? Yep. It's true. Have you dealt with that particular gift?? 😳  That's a level of pain I won't soon forget. But I digress.  A model based on genetic factors could help predict the risk of developing MS in people with Optic Neuritis.  Those at risk could get sight-saving treatment, researchers say.  

5.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided not to approve an application seeking clearance of 

 — a long-acting formulation of glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) — for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. Not a rejection: Developers can amend and resubmit an application to the agency.  

6.  And out of the UK - I don't even know how to preface this. So -  I won't. I'll just share the awesome headline that captured my attention: 

That's all folks. Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help you in any way. Otherwise, just keep saying FUMS!! 🧡

Cheers -- 

Kathy

Kathy Reagan Young

Founder

P.S. It's MS Awareness Week - within MS Awareness Month. We're SUPER AWARE!!  I'm participating in my local Walk MS - in Virginia Beach (Team FUMS). If you'd like to support me and my team in raising money for MS research, I'd certainly appreciate it. Here's where to go:

.  **If I can figure it out - I'm going to live stream part of the walk too!!  April 7th. I'll keep you updated.

👇🏻 Check out some cool FUMS merch 👇🏻

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