Multiple sclerosis is a condition defined by its unpredictability. For thousands of people living with this chronic neurological disease across the Gulf region, the journey from the first symptom to long-term management is often fraught with uncertainty. It is a journey that tests not only the resilience of the patients but also the strength of their families, caregivers, and the health care systems that support them.
This year, as we observe World MS Day under the powerful theme “My MS Diagnosis,” we are called to reflect on the critical importance of global solidarity, collective action, and, above all, hope. While an early and accurate diagnosis is the critical first step, it challenges us to ask a deeper question: Once a diagnosis is made, are we truly measuring and managing what matters most to the patient?
Measuring what matters: The invisible burden
While securing a diagnosis is the first hurdle, managing the disease effectively requires a profound understanding of how MS impacts daily life. Recent insights have illuminated a stark disconnect between what is clinically measured in consultation rooms and the “invisible symptoms” that patients report as most debilitating.
Historically, clinical assessments have heavily weighted physical mobility. While mobility is undeniably crucial, it does not capture the full spectrum of the disease. Patients consistently report that invisible symptoms such as overwhelming fatigue, cognitive impairment, and mood disorders are equally, if not more, disruptive to their lives.
This disconnect underscores the urgent need for more comprehensive disability assessments. We must evolve our clinical paradigms to routinely evaluate cognition, daily functioning, and mental health. Treating MS means treating the whole person, not just the lesions on an MRI scan.
A paradigm shift: Addressing the underlying pathology
As we advocate for better assessment frameworks, we must also acknowledge the advances in our scientific understanding of MS. For decades, the primary focus was on reducing acute, visible relapses. However, the scientific community now recognizes that beyond acute inflammation, there is a chronic, “smoldering” neuroinflammation driving continuous disease progression.
This is particularly evident in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis without relapses where patients experience a continuous accumulation of disability, including cognitive decline and loss of independence, often without overt flare-ups. Addressing this relentless disability progression remains one of the most significant unmet needs in neurology today.
At Sanofi, our commitment is grounded in advancing scientific innovation to tackle these underlying pathologies, moving closer to therapeutic approaches that can delay the onset of disability progression, offering renewed hope to patients.
Regional leadership and collaborative action
The Gulf region is actively shaping the future of MS care, with health authorities setting new global benchmarks by embracing innovation. A testament to this occurred in 2025, when a strategic partnership with the Emirates Drug Establishment in the UAE led to a historic milestone with the first global approval of a novel therapeutic approach specifically designed for non-relapsing secondary progressive MS. This landmark decision highlights the region’s regulatory agility and its unwavering dedication to addressing critical unmet medical needs.
True progress in MS care requires the concerted effort of governments, health care providers, patient advocacy groups, and the pharmaceutical industry. Recognizing this, Sanofi partnered with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in 2025 to transform the standard of care, accelerate patient access and build a sustainable ecosystem that empowers patients and their caregivers.
Looking ahead: A future defined by hope
Comprehensive MS management today is not a prescription; it is a team. It is the neurologist alongside the physiotherapist, the mental health professional alongside the nutritionist, the patient’s own expertise about their body respected and integrated into every clinical decision. When health ecosystems and communities align around this model, patients do not simply live with MS, they live fully, and on their own terms.
At Sanofi, our pursuit of miracles in science is grounded by a single purpose: to improve people’s lives. By fostering global solidarity, embracing regional partnerships, and keeping the patient at the absolute center of everything we do, we can transform the trajectory of multiple sclerosis. Together, we can ensure that a diagnosis of MS backed with the right care and commitment behind it, is the first step in a well-supported journey toward a fulfilling and empowered life.
- The writer, Preeti Futnani, is MCO lead and general manager of specialty care at Sanofi Greater Gulf.
