Teva Publishes MS and Family Planning Toolkit

Teva Pharmaceuticals Europe has announced results from a European survey of 1,000 women diagnosed with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS) in the last five years that suggests they are insufficiently informed about family planning, and would like to receive more information and support from healthcare professionals (HCPs). To address this unmet need, Teva has partnered with touchNEUROLOGY, online publication partner to European Neurological Review, to publish a “MS and Family Planning Toolkit.” The toolkit resources help support a fuller dialogue on family planning between women with MS and their HCPs, and are available for women with MS and for HCPs.

Women with MS are just as likely to conceive and have healthy children as anyone else, yet 88% of the women surveyed had concerns that they would not be able to have children. In addition, 62% of women with RMS who were concerned about their ability to have children, were also concerned they had the potential to pass the disease on to their children, even though MS is not considered to be hereditary. The survey also suggests that communications about family planning could be improved between women with RMS and their HCPs, which could be the reason why these misconceptions persist. More than 1 in 3 (35%) women indicated not having spoken with their neurologist/MS specialist about family planning, and more than half (57%) indicated not having spoken with their general practitioner (GP), despite their concerns.

The toolkit resources are intended to address the misconceptions highlighted and spark deeper dialogue between women with MS and their HCPs, and include:

• Family planning questions for women with MS to ask their healthcare team.

• Facts on MS and family planning for women with MS.

• Tips for women on family planning with MS.

• HCP guide to survey results and patient conversation.