Interferon for ms linked to suicides

01 July 1996

Interferon, hailed as offering "a new era" in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), could actually be making patients suicidal, doctors fear.

A number of patients have either killed themselves, or attempted to, while taking the drug, reports Nigel O'Connor from the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Most impartial doctors also consider beta interferon's benefits to be unproven.

!AThe Lancet, May 18, 1996.

Related WDDTY Content

Multiple sclerosis - Poisoning in slow motion

Multiple sclerosis (MS) often follows a highly individual and unpredictable course, sometimes leading to chronic and occasionally devastating disabili...

Multiple sclerosis

In orthodox medicine, the current fashion in combating multiple sclerosis (MS) is to administer immune modifiers: interferons 1b and 1a, copolymer 1 a...

Treat depression to slow down multiple sclerosis

New evidence suggests that effective treatment of depression may also slow the progress of multiple sclerosis (MS) in these patients. ...

Multiple sclerosis

The cause of MS is still a mystery. Many viruses have been strongly suspected, particularly the measles virus (Arch Neurol, 1990; 47(7):743-6). If t...

Multiple sclerosis: stress is a key factor

Multiple sclerosis MS sufferers often suspect that their condition worsens if they ve been under stress In fact it s probably more an observation...

Multiple sclerosis: Food ingredient may be cause of autoimmune disease

There’s an ingredient in our food that scientists are beginning to suspect could be a cause of auto-immune disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Gr...