Exploring ‘MS at a Crossroads’ Theme at the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum: Kaitlyn Palmer, MD

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"I think there's a lot of potential growth and changes to come in the MS field, and the conference did a really good job of summarizing where we're heading."

Earlier this year, the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) held its annual meeting, the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum, from February 5 to 7 in San Diego, California. For this year’s meeting theme, the organization chose “MS at a Crossroads” to reflect this pivotal time in multiple sclerosis (MS) research and care. Advances in understanding the disease, driven in part by emerging technologies, prompted clinicians and researchers to reassess existing approaches and consider new directions.¹

The annual forum featured its traditional single-track program in which leading experts in the field presented updates on the evolving MS landscape. Sessions addressed disease mechanisms, therapeutic strategies, and future directions for advancing research and patient care. Additional highlights included the Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture delivered by Jeffrey Cohen, MD; the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research; and over 400 poster presentations. The meeting also introduced the Early Career & Community Neurology Summit, which combined the Neurology Resident Summit in Multiple Sclerosis and the Young Scientist Summit in Clinical Neuroimmunology.

Attendee Kaitlyn Palmer, MD, a neuroimmunology fellow at Cleveland Clinic, sat down to reflect on her experience at the Forum, in a recent interview with NeurologyLive^®. In the conversation, she discussed how the theme of the meeting aligned with both progress and ongoing challenges in the field. Additionally, she highlighted advances in controlling acute inflammatory activity in MS, alongside remaining gaps in addressing long-term disability progression, and discussed potential drivers. Furthermore, Palmer talked about key updates including late-breaking data on BTK inhibitors, mixed results in progressive MS trials, and emerging work in remyelination and cell-based therapies.

Click here for coverage of ACTRIMS Forum 2026.

REFERENCES
1. ACTRIMS Forum 2026 to Explore “MS at a Crossroads”. News release. Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis. August 4, 2025. Accessed April 1, 2026. https://www.actrims.org/assets/ACTRIMS%20Forum%202026%20Press%20Release%20August%204.pdf