Xavier Montalban, head of the Neurology Service at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital.
Advance and better understand the multiple sclerosis keeping as a point of reference the opinion of the patients is the Roadmap defended by Xavier Montalbanhead of the Neurology Service at the Vall d’Hebron Hospital. A white paper on the pathology was recently presented with the results achieved up to the year 2018and the specialist affirms in Medical Writing that “we saw a good initiative the fact of carrying it out at a global level to see the perception of our patients with the disease. Sometimes we describe elements of sclerosis and forget the most important thing, the patient opinion. The first book was made in 2007 and we found it interesting to make a second installment to compare the two realities over time”.
The initiative of producing the first and second white papers on multiple sclerosis was MSIF (Multiple Sclerosis International Federation), an organization that Montalban He became at the time one of its main leaders of the scientific Comittee. The fact of having data from two such distant periods of time has allowed the researchers to see how the disease has evolved: “There are very positivemainly the methodological level. We must bear in mind that the temporal space that represents the society of 2007 is not the same as now. Today we are More demanding and we want the best of our health, social services, etc. In addition, the sick source has been modified. In the first version of the white paper, the patients came from associations and suffered a advanced level of the disease chronic form,” says Montalbán.
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“The temporary space that represents the society of 2007 is not the same as now” |
Now, with the new edition of the book, one of the main differences is that the patients come mainly from hospitals. This has shown, according to the neurologist, that “patients have more academic level and they are less disabled. This is one of the factors that probably explains why these responses are so positive. In 2007 we studied a total of 370 patients and now we have reached the 490 from different autonomous communities. Greatly improved level of independence y empowerment of the patient, in addition to the level of access to effective treatments for multiple sclerosis”.
Despite these favorable changes, there are still shadows regarding the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis. According to the white paper, the support level at families already the caregivers by the administration it’s not being positive. “The results have been worse than in 2007 in this aspect, and it might be due to the fact that each time we demand more in this way. The most positive conclusion we have reached is that it has improved the level of participation as regards the toma from decisions on the part of the patients, who also understand much better their diagnosis”, declares the neurologist.
Barcelona, world reference center in multiple sclerosis
Montalban recently won the Dystel Awardthe most prestigious in the world in research on multiple sclerosis, offered by the American Academy of Neurology and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of America. “This award shows that Barcelona has become a reference center for treatment in multiple sclerosis. For regarding 10 years the city has been one of the global epicenters of knowledge of the disease, and its level of assistance has one of the best places in the world, the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia (Cemcat) “, concludes the neurologist.
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“Barcelona has become a reference center for multiple sclerosis treatments” |
In reference to aid to promote the research in spainMontalban has not been shy regarding stating that “it is tremendously horrible and far below european average. Another aspect that is beginning to cause concern in the Spanish state is the delay existing for the final approval of new drugs, also affecting patients with sclerosis. Some powerful drugs have been approved in most European countries and here still Are not avaliables. For a year there have been important medicines for patients and they are not proven. Although access to medication is satisfactory, the delay that occurs with the approval of new drugs is worrying, and this implies the State Drug Agency y al Ministry of Science and Innovation”.
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