CMSC 2026 Highlights on MS Progression, Biomarkers, and Comprehensive Care: Carrie Hersh, DO, MSc, FAAN

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"We’re beginning to ask more nuanced questions—not simply how to suppress inflammation, but how to optimize long-term outcomes, prevent disability progression, preserve quality of life, and address the full experience of those living with MS."

Multiple sclerosis (MS) care continues to evolve beyond relapse suppression toward a more nuanced focus on disability progression, neurodegeneration, and long-term quality of life. Clinicians are increasingly integrating emerging biomarkers, real-world evidence, and proactive treatment strategies to better preserve neurologic function over the disease course. In parallel, multidisciplinary models of care are expanding to address symptom management, rehabilitation needs, and psychosocial factors that influence outcomes for individuals living with MS.

At the recently concluded 2026 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting, held May 27-29, Charlotte, North Carolina, these trends were reflected across a diverse program spanning disease-modifying therapy selection and monitoring, progressive MS biomarkers, and longitudinal assessment of disability accumulation. Sessions highlighted advances in the use of serum neurofilament light chain and other biomarkers, the growing role of patient‑reported outcomes, and the integration of wellness-based interventions in routine MS care. Additional programming addressed neurorehabilitation, real-world evidence, rare neuroimmunologic disorders, and the emergence of cell‑based therapies, as well as workforce issues.

In a recent NeurologyLive^® interview, Carrie Hersh, DO, MSc, FAAN, associate professor of neurology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and newly elected president of CMSC,discussed key takeaways from this year’s meeting. She reviewed the unique multidisciplinary program of CMSC, notable sessions on progression, biomarkers, rehabilitation, and wellness, and the growing emphasis on patient-centered care. Furthermore, Hersh also offered her perspective on where the field is headed, including efforts to better understand progression, the shift toward precision medicine, the importance of early intervention, and the maturation of real-world evidence to inform day-to-day clinical decision-making.

Click here for more coverage of CMSC 2026.