title: [Place of residence determines access to interferon-beta therapy in MS. Less than 15 per cent of patients are treated--big differences between the counties].
abstract: Interferon-beta (IFNB) is the first agent to be registered in Sweden for modifying disease course in multiple sclerosis (MS). A nationwide survey uncovered a tenfold variation between counties in the prescribing of IFNB. About 10% of patients received treatment in a few counties, while in most the figure was even smaller. No correlation was found between sales of IFNB and numbers of neurologists in the respective counties. Patients should receive treatment according to national medical guidelines, regardless of place of residence.
authors.affiliation: Avdelning för biofarmaci, Uppsala universitet.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fredrikson
mesh_terms: D016527:Drug Costs; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D016899:Interferon-beta