Benefit and Risk Information for Medication in Multiple Sclerosis (1)

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Improving understanding and recall of risk information relating to MS medication: Developing an evidence-based clinical tool for assisting communication and understanding of MS medication risk information between patients and health professionals - Benefit and Risk information for Medication in Multiple Sclerosis (BRIMMS)

• IRAS ID

  155057

• Contact name

  Gurpreet Reen

• Contact email

  Gurpreet.reen.2014@live.rhul.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Royal Holloway, University of London

• Research summary

  We propose to develop an evidence-based clinical tool for patients which would support communication and understanding of medication risk information in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The new and emerging medications in MS offer varying risk-benefit profiles which are not always correctly interpreted and understood by patients, with research showing a difference in risk awareness between patients and health professionals. This is especially significant when treatments have higher efficacy but potentially serious risks such as that of Natalizumab, a drug given to patients with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS).
  The present research will focus on risk-benefit profiles of medications and treatments of RRMS patients recruited from King’s College Hospital and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, where the study is expected to be conducted. Firstly, interviews and questionnaires with patients will indicate current risk and benefit understanding of medications. Health professionals will also be surveyed to provide an indication of current clinical information needs. Secondly, three experiments will be conducted with patients to evaluate the efficacy of different presentation formats, different organisational patterns of information and different strategies for supporting understanding and recall of health information. Previous research and the findings across these stages will be integrated and further amended with feedback from patients and professionals, to ultimately produce a generic protocol to be used with current risk and benefit information relating to any disease-modifying drug, known as the Benefit and Risk Information for Medication in Multiple Sclerosis (BRIMMS) protocol.

• REC name

  South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  14/SC/1266

• Date of REC Opinion

  23 Sep 2014

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion