Abstract

With recent Disease Modifying Treatments (DMTs) licensed in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), treatment options are increasing. NICE has suggested that patient preference plays a role in physician selection of MS treatments. This UK study examines the preferences of people with MS (pwMS) for attributes of DMTs using an online discrete choice experiment (DCE). Treatment attributes were selected through literature review and interviews with pwMS (n=12). Attributes were: administration method, relapse free rate, symptom progression rate, risks of kidney disorders, serious infection and serious fatigue, and ongoing monitoring requirements. Patients were presented with three hypothetical treatment options sampled from included attributes and asked for their most/least preferred options. Analyses used multinomial logistical regression models to estimate relative strength of preference for each attribute.

350 patients (81% female, mean age=39) completed the DCE. Results indicate that administration method and relapse free rate were the most important attributes to pwMS. Risk of serious fatigue and ongoing monitoring requirements were considered least important. No relationship was found between participant characteristics and data on strength of preference.

This study highlights the importance of the administration method of DMTs to pwMS and the need to consider the preferences of individuals over treatment choices in the clinical context.