But some patients treated with Betaseron have done remarkably well, with minimal side effects, a glowing sense of well-being, and no discernible exacerbations. On the other hand, a few patients have had an acceleration of the frequency of their exacerbations, even to the point of having to discontinue the drug. However, other patients such as those with progressive MS and those who are not ambulatory are also potential candidates for Betaseron. One important consideration is potential side effects, which include almost universal flu-like aching, fever, and malaise. Most patients experience these symptoms for many hours after each injection during the first few months.
Some patients also experience skin lesions at the injection sites.
Fortunately, we are learning how to decrease these adverse effects. Betaseron is a first-generation MS treatment. Because Betaseron is not the perfect treatment for MS, there is substantial pressure to do better. We have begun to revisit some previously tested drug treatments for MS, mainly immunosuppressant drugs such as azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, and methotrexate. These include a chemicallymodified form of interferon beta-lb and copolymer 1, a synthetic protein which has been under investigation for many years.