Tom Fudge : Multiple Sclerosis is a common disease, and there's a good chance you know someone who has it. Maybe the best know sufferer of MS was a fictional one. President Bartlett, played by actor Martin Sheen, had MS on the TV show The West Wing .
MS is not considered a fatal disease, but it can result in tremendous disability. I say it can result in that, because it doesn't always. MS can be progressive, episodic. People can suffer symptoms, then see them disappear completely. In other cases, it can result in partial or complete paralysis.
There's no cure for MS. But scientists have a pretty good idea of what causes it. There are FDA approved drugs that slow down the underlying cause of the disease.
Guests
- Dr. Thomas Chippendale , neurologist at The Neurology Center located in the North County.
- Peter Kreklow, film and video producer who was diagnosed with MS 12 years ago.
