When Can I Stop Taking MS Drugs?

6/23/2015

Here is My Question:
Is it true that after a certain age, you don't have to take any MS drugs (I'm on copaxone at the time) (and I am 67). I heard that after awhile the immune system "settles down" or something like that. If true, when is it safe for me to stop? Thank you!

Answer:
It is true that relapses and new lesion development on MRI both get less frequent with age, especially over the age of 60, but there is little evidence that treatment effects wane with age. In fact there is very little data to either support or refute the use of disease modifying therapy in older populations, because most studies do not even include patients over the age of 60. The current recommendation is to base treatment decisions based on individual disease characteristics not on arbitrary age cut offs. If a person has active disease or is at significant risk of active disease, then the therapy is warranted regardless of age group. By the way active disease means relapses and/or new lesion lesion development on MRI.

Revere (Rip) Kinkel MD
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Professor of Clinical Neurosciences
University of California San Diego

Susan Garber

6/23/2015 09:53:51 am

Great Question. Is there any research happening to answer this question. As a 63 y/o with history of 12 years on Avonex and 2 years on Tecfidera, I hope that knowledge is gained to share for the future.

Dr Kinkel

6/24/2015 11:26:31 pm

Yes, there are several large studies that should be able to address this issue. These are so called "real-world" studies or registries designed to identify treatment effects in subgroups of people with MS poorly represented by pharmaceutical studies. The main study in the US is called Opt Up (for Optimizing treatment and understanding progressive disease)

Suzanne Shultz

2/1/2016 03:52:04 pm

I went to see Dr. Stone at Cleveland Clinic. (she's wonderful by the way). She mentioned there was an age I will be able to quit taking med for MS. I am 67. I think that should be old enough? I can't remember what age she said, but reading here makes me wonder, is there really a safe age to quit and what is it? I just started taking aubagio and don't like some of the side effects down the road. She also spoke highly of you!

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