Background To assist neurologists with effectively planning multiple sclerosis (MS) services in the NHS, this study quantified the administration and monitoring time burden associated with selected high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs; alemtuzumab, cladribine tablets [CladT], fingolimod, natalizumab, and ocrelizumab) for highly-active relapsing MS in the UK.

Methods A time and motion study was conducted across four MS centres over 3–4 months per-site (Aug 2019–Feb 2021). Time dedicated by healthcare professionals (HCPs) to pre-specified drug administration and monitoring activities was assessed for each of the selected DMTs. Data were extrapolated over 4 years per-patient, based on the relevant Summaries of Product Characteristics, and analysed descriptively.

Results For oral DMTs, projected total active HCP time (monitoring only) per-patient over 4 years was 12.3 hours for CladT and 15.9 hours for fingolimod. For infusion DMTs, total time (administration and monitoring) was 35.5 hours for alemtuzumab (6.1 and 29.4 hours), 46.5 hours for natalizumab (17.2 and 29.3 hours), and 21.6 hours for ocrelizumab (6.2 and 15.4 hours).

Conclusions While active HCP time varies across sites, infusion DMTs are projected to require the greatest amount of HCP time associated with administration and monitoring over 4 years versus oral DMTs.