A recent press release from Acorda Therapeutics highlights NARCOMS study results on the economic impact of early mobility impairment in people with multiple sclerosis, including:

· MS-related Mobility Impairment Contributes to Reduction in Employment Status and Income Level

· Greatest Changes in Income Level Due to Mobility Loss Occur Early On, as People with MS Transition from Normal Mobility to Minimal Mobility Impairment

HAWTHORNE, NY, April 29, 2009 – People with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience reduced income and earning potential as their mobility impairment increases, according to data collected from more than 8,100 participants of the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) database, the largest self-reported MS patient registry in the world. The data were presented yesterday at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA.

“Approximately half of people with MS will have mobility impairment within 15 years of their disease onset, and MS often affects people early in life during their most economically productive years. These data indicate that even minor mobility impairments contribute to the loss of productivity and income,” said Timothy L. Vollmer, M.D., Director of the NARCOMS Project and Professor, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. “People with MS typically develop increasing mobility impairment as their disease progresses, which can significantly impact their socioeconomic status, affecting their ability to stay in the workforce and to provide for their families. Unfortunately, many people with MS are then at risk to lose access to company-sponsored healthcare.”

Among the study’s key findings were:

While there was increasing unemployment and drop in income as people experienced progression of mobility impairment, the greatest changes in income levels occurred when people with MS went from normal mobility to minimal mobility impairment.
Reduction in both full- and part-time employment was observed with increasing levels of mobility impairment.

The average age of respondents was 53.8 years old; approximately two-thirds (65.9%) reported being completely unemployed. The effect of mobility loss on income appeared to be greater among people with higher levels of education.

For more information on this study, please visit http://www.acorda.com.

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