Caregiver involvement in MS: Duty or disruption?

This article, first published in November 2021, summarizes a debate between members of the MS in the 21^st Century Advisory Group and an audience of healthcare professionals (HCPs), people living with MS (PwMS) and caregivers. The debate was held at the European Charcot Foundation Conference in November 2019, and was aimed at examining perceptions on the constructive involvement of families and caregivers during consultations between PwMS and their HCPs, and in overall MS management.

MS affects the families and caregivers of people living with MS, who can be both a positive and negative influential factor in patient outcomes. The debate highlighted the number of considerations that need to be made when optimizing family and/or caregiver involvement in MS care. When considering how best to integrate family members and caregivers into the management of MS, HCPs need to understand the individual needs of PwMS.