Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FANA

“In terms of the current recommendations—and this is endorsed by the National MS Society Task Force that I've had the privilege of being part of—first of all, individuals living with MS ought to be vaccinated for COVID-19.”

The question of COVID-19 vaccination among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) was a topic of conversation at the 

2021 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC)

, October 25-28, where Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FANA, Melissa and Paul Anderson President’s Distinguished Professor; director, Center for Neuroinflammation and Neurotherapeutics; and chief, Multiple Sclerosis Division, department of neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, gave a presentation on the interaction of the vaccine with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs).

Bar-Or highlighted the current recommendation from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Task Force, which urges patients with MS to get vaccinated regardless of whether they are already on a DMT or about to start a DMT. Bar-Or further noted that getting fully vaccinated prior to starting a DMT is “a good investment for the future,” in order to mount a maximal vaccine response. In this conversation with 

, Bar-Or offered details on that recommendation.

In addition to his presentation on vaccinations and DMTs, Bar-Or also gave a lecture on the importance of understanding heterogeneity in terms of perturbation and consequent measuring of immune state. By understanding more about how immune cells interact following a vaccination, experts also hope to be able to better tailor treatment decisions and next steps for patient with MS. 

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The chief of the Multiple Sclerosis Division, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania emphasized current recommendations, which suggest patients with MS get vaccinated for COVID-19. [WATCH TIME: 3 minutes]

Takeaways for MS Clinicians on COVID-19 Vaccination: Amit Bar-OR, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FANA 

“While we continue to believe that vaccines are important in individuals living with MS, and that there's no added risk of the vaccine in individuals just by the virtue of him or her having MS, we also do not think that being on any of the DMTs pose risks of the vaccination—there are though some contexts in which the DMTs may limit the maximum vaccine response.”

, October 25-28, Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FANA, Melissa and Paul Anderson President’s Distinguished Professor; director, Center for Neuroinflammation and Neurotherapeutics; and chief, Multiple Sclerosis Division, department of neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, gave a presentation outlining research and expert opinions on the safety and efficacy of the available COVID-19 vaccines for patients with multiple sclerosis also on disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Following his presentation, Bar-Or sat down with 

 to further discuss findings, as well as recommendations for this patient population.

According to Bar-Or, emerging data on vaccine response has informed experts on the interaction of that vaccines and DMTs, noting that experts do not believe any risk is posed if a patient gets vaccinated while also on a DMT. There is, however, concern about maximal vaccine response, with Bar-Or suggesting that patients ensure vaccinations are “up to speed” prior to starting a high-efficacy therapy, such as an anti-CD20 agent. As the currently approved COVID-19 vaccinations are not categorized as live or attenuated, Bar-Or added there is no associated risk of the vaccine contributing to or spreading infection, nor causing infection-related complications in vaccinated patients.

The chief of the Multiple Sclerosis Division at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, discussed recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination in this patient population, specifically for those on disease-modifying therapies. [WATCH TIME: 2 minutes]

Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FANA

Articles

Takeaways for MS Clinicians on COVID-19 Vaccination: Amit Bar-OR, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FANA

COVID-19 Vaccinations and Multiple Sclerosis DMTs: Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FANA

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