Is there really a Multiple Sclerosis vaccine on the way? TRUE??

Question

Friends sent me a link about an “upcoming vaccine for MS:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00382629

and I did read it eagerly. They also sent me the recent “announcement” about it, as well:
http://mni.mcgill.ca/announce/MS_Vaccine_Bar-Or_2007_English.htm

But, not being a doctor, or particularly understanding of med-speak, protocols, or processes involved in new drug testing, I cannot make heads or tails of the realities of the situation, and I seek some real-speak about this issue, clarity with regard to these pieces. For those who are able to do so, can you please read these news pieces and tell me:

1. IS IT, INDEED, TRUE THAT A VACCINE FOR MS HAS BEEN DISCOVERED?

2. IS IT IN ANY RESPECT COMING TO MARKET IN THE UNITED STATES ANY TIME SOON?

3. WHAT, EXACTLY, DOES IT DO? IS IT A TRUE “CURE”?

I greatly appreciate your time and the great courtesy you are doing in helping make this clear.

Answer 1

Wow!

I don't know that it's actually a cure. But it does look like a promising treatment. I can't speak for how fast the United States will have it: The bureaucracy tends to be very slow about things like this.

What the reports basically said was that the medicine had been tested by patients and doctors who didn't know if they were using the medicine, or a sugar pill. This so no one would get any notions in their heads that might skew the results. And apparently it is working.

What MS is is a disease that causes your body to attack itself. And this vaccine/treatment is supposed to fix the confusion that is causing it to do this.

I'm not a doctor either, but I am an interested lay-person. And there are medical professionals in the family.

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Here's the definition of "Vaccine":

"any preparation used as a preventive inoculation to confer immunity against a specific disease, usually employing an innocuous form of the disease agent, as killed or weakened bacteria or viruses, to stimulate antibody production."

1. Yes, there is a vaccine that is currently undergoing testing.

2. I'm not sure when it would be available in the US.

3. As I understand what a Vaccine does, it should help someone NOT get Multiple Sclerosis. This vaccine, I do not believe will have any impact for anyone that already has MS. This is a vaccine, so it's purpose is for those people who DO NOT have MS, this way hopefully protecting them from getting it.

But who knows what this may lead to.

Mind you, in my honest opinion, there will not be a cure until the researchers find the CAUSE of Multiple Sclerosis. For this reason, I think that the current therapies, don't do that much. Since the researchers don't know what causes the disease, they have no idea what they are fighting.

Take care.

- Ian
32yrs old with MS