Early MS Drug Therapy Urged

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society said Friday that anyone diagnosed with MS should start drug treatment immediately rather than the typical approach of waiting for symptoms to worsen.

Although medication exists to treat MS, fewer than 50,000 of the 300,000 Americans who have the often-crippling nerve disease take any of the three drugs that slow but do not cure MS, society spokesman Dr. Stanley van den Noort said.

In its first treatment recommendation, the society said all MS patients should take medication to curtail disabling symptoms. The society offered no opinion on which of the drugs--Avonex, Betaseron and Copaxone--is best.