Ten months in: the COVID-19 and MS global data sharing initiative
A look back at what the global MS movement has achieved during the pandemic.
Last updated: 28th January 2021
Back in April 2020, we asked the global MS movement to come together to support an important global COVID-19 data sharing initiative. The purpose of this initiative was to rapidly collect and share information on COVID-19 in people with MS from around the world, so we could inform clinical decision making during the pandemic.
We received overwhelming support from our networks and were able to bring 21 data partners on board in record time. Together we have gathered information on COVID-19 in over 10,000 people with MS from 80 countries. The global dataset has enabled us to confidently investigate the impact of disease modifying therapies on the severity of COVID-19 – something that would not have been possible without working together internationally.
Watch this short video to find out more about the initiative and the vital information it has collected since April.
The main results of this initiative were shared with researchers and clinicians at the MSVirtual2020 conference in September and are currently under review for scientific publication. The findings have already shaped the global COVID-19 advice for people with MS so that individuals can make informed decisions about their treatment during the ongoing pandemic.
As the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing in many countries, we have taken the decision to extend the COVID-19 and MS global data sharing initiative until the end of 2021. This means we still need clinicians and people with MS to continue reporting new cases of COVID-19 to us, either directly to the global platform or through a national/regional data collection study in your area. These can be found on our website: www.msif.org/covid19data