First Paper on pubmed as new MS journal makes an appearance

Giovannoni G, Baker D, Schmierer K. he problem with repurposing: Is there really an alternative to Big Pharma for developing new drugs for multiple sclerosis? Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2015 Jan;4(1):3-5

If it is not feasible to develop licensed drugs to the stage that they can actually be prescribed for a new indication, can we justify, either ethically or economically, the undertaking of proof-of-concept studies using off-patent medications? Without a financial incentive it is very difficult to repurpose off patent drugs for a new indication. Therefore, we need a political solution to allow the repurposing of off-patent drugs by other stakeholders or Big Pharma.


Today at the research day, Prof B will be presenting the drug development process. This article by ProfG suggests maybe we should not  bother repurposing if we can not deliver a drug to you. Is it unfair to create the false hope?

Whilst this is indeed a problem, the significant of this paper is that is the first MSARDS paper to reach Pubmed. he Wellcome turst lauched its ejournal elife and it was straight on Pubmed before it had even published the pre-requisit number of papers, whereas MSARDS has had to wait 4 years for the this pleasure. Pubmed seem to relish make Elsevier the MSARDS publisher squirm.

ProfG is an editor of this new MS mag, maybe its impact factor will start to rise, but we still have the number one cited paper in the journal and have been there for 4 years. Maybe it is time to get the back caologue on pubmed too.

Practical guide to the induction of relapsing progressive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the Biozzi ABH mouse. Al-Izki S et al.