CMSC 2022 | Key considerations for clinicians treating NMOSD

Bruce Cree, MD, PhD, MAS, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, presents his opinions on the key considerations that clinicians should take into account when treating neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). He emphasizes the importance of clinicians familiarizing themselves with the approved therapies in their country of practice. Currently, in the US, three drugs have FDA approval (inebilizumab, satralizumab, and eculizumab), for which he believes clinicians should fully understand the outcome of their clinical trials, indications of each medication, and adverse event and risk profile. Prof. Cree further comments on the shift from using empirical-based treatments towards FDA approved products. The weight of the evidence needed to achieve FDA approval and the ability this gives clinicians to describe the risk-benefit profile of treatments justifies his belief that the prescription of FDA approved treatments should precede older therapies, such as rituximab, that can instead be used for patients failing to respond to these therapies. This interview took place at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) congress 2022 in Maryland.