Global research on diagnosis and treatment at ECTRIMS 2025

MSIF joined 9,500 participants in Barcelona in September 2025 for ECTRIMS, the world’s leading conference on multiple sclerosis. Learn about some of the global research updates on MS diagnosis and treatment from the event. 

A major theme of ECTRIMS 2025 was the updated McDonald diagnostic criteria for MS, and how the new criteria can be implemented in different settings.  

The Atlas of MS takes centre stage 

Andrew Solomon presents Atlas of MS data

MSIF’s collaborator Professor Andrew Solomon from the University of Vermont, USA, presented new findings from Atlas of MS about access to diagnostic tests, sharing insights from 122 countries. The findings presented included: 

• Key barriers to using diagnostic tests globally 

• The relationship between the availability of tests and routine use of tests 

• How incorporating the visual system further in the MS diagnosis criteria could access and speed up diagnosis globally. 

The presentation was shared as a conference highlight by ECTRIMS in the closing session. Rachel, MSIF’s Senior International Evidence Manager and Atlas of MS Lead shares more: 

‘I am delighted that the research from the Atlas of MS was also selected as one of the clinical highlights presented during the closing session of ECTRIMS. This is a tribute to the many MS organisations and healthcare professionals across the world who work hard to submit data to the Atlas, ensuring that we properly understand the global picture of MS.’ Rachel King, Senior International Evidence Manager and Atlas of MS Lead, MSIF 

Throughout the week, Atlas of MS data was featured in several presentations across the congress, underlining its importance as a global evidence base. Presentation highlights included: 

• Prof. Xavier Montalban (Spain) – global availability of MRI scans 

• Dr Deanna Saylor – access to disease-modifying therapies 

• Dr Ethel Ciampi (Chile) – barriers to MS diagnosis 

• Dr Carlos Navas (Colombia) – prevalence of MS in Latin America 

• Dr Jae-Won Hyun (Korea) – prevalence of MS in Asia 

It was inspiring to see Atlas data shaping discussions, highlighting challenges and driving forward advocacy and research. 

Diagnosing and treating MS across the world  

At ECTRIMS 2023 MSIF shared the milestone announcement that the WHO had listed MS treatments on their Essential Medicines List (EML). This year, Deanna Saylor – who helped lead the MSIF application to get MS treatments on the WHO EML – presented six case studies of how this has already led to changes in policy or improved access to MS treatment. This includes recent advocacy activity in Nepal and the UAE, as well as a powerful case study from Ghana.  

Dr Fiifi Duodu, a former MSIF Du Pré Grant recipient and MS neurologist in Ghana, established an MS registry in his country following the experience he gained through his Du Pre grant project. After establishing the number of people with MS through the registry, he used this evidence along with the WHO EML listing to successfully advocate for the addition of rituximab to Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme.  

The theme of global challenges and opportunities in diagnosing MS was expanded on during a dedicated session with representatives from the regional TRIMS networks covering Brazil, Latin America, Asia, MENA, Iran and Russia. Professor Magd Zakaria, President of the Egyptian Society of MS and an MSIF board member, shared insights from a survey of Egyptian neurologists on their awareness and ability to apply all components of the updated McDonald Criteria. During the panel discussion, the need for global education and training for healthcare professionals was emphasised, as was the benefits of closer collaboration between neurologists, radiologists and ophthalmologists.  

Deanna Saylor presents EML case studies

TRIMS Session

Connecting with MSIF Research Fellows  

The MSIF McDonald Fellowships are prestigious awards, sponsored by ECTRIMS and  MSIF’s member organisation FranceSEP, that support talented early career researchers from low- and middle-income countries.  

‘The number of MSIF fellows who were chairing discussions, taking part in panels, presenting their research on the stage or through posters highlights the importance of MSIF’s support for building a strong global research community. The ECTRIMS Congress is an excellent opportunity for us to meet in person and catch up with all their achievements.’ Anne Helme, Head of Research and Access, MSIF 

Dr Sara Salama (MSIF-FRANCESEP McDonald Fellow) presented her poster titled ‘Progressive retinal thinning mirrors brain volume loss in CIS patients’. Her research showed that changes in the retina may mirror changes in the brain for people at the earliest stages of MS.  

Dr Maria Agustina Piedrabuena (MSIF-FRANCESEP McDonald Fellow) presented her poster titled, ‘Aging and Multiple Sclerosis: Bridging the Gap Between Biology and Clinical Outcomes’. The study compared young and older adults living with MS in Argentina. Her findings highlight how age matters in MS — not just the disease itself, but how it interacts with aging to affect health and recovery.  

In a session on spinal cord imaging, Dr Kshiteeja Jain (MSIF-ECTRIMS McDonald Fellow) presented her research on cervical cord atrophy — the shrinking of the spinal cord in the neck. Her session, ‘Disentangling age-related and disease-specific cervical cord atrophy’, focused on how to tell the difference between changes caused by normal ageing and damage caused by MS.  

Dr Bruna Klein da Costa (MSIF-FRANCESEP McDonald Fellow) presented her research in the session on diagnostic aspects of NMOSD and MOGAD. Her work focuses on improving the diagnosis of MOGAD in children in low-resource settings, which could support better differential diagnosis of pediatric MS. 

In a session chaired by Dr Agustín Pappolla (former MSIF-FRANCESEP McDonald Fellow), researchers explored key challenges in treating MS. Dr Pappolla also presented research funded by his McDonald Fellowship, examining how people with MS respond to treatment and how treatment response is monitored, as well as two additional posters.  

Dr Sara Salama

Dr Maria Agustina Piedrabuena

Dr Kshiteeja Jain

Dr Agustín Pappolla

One poster featured at ECTRIMS was titled ‘Current state of Clinical Resources to Diagnose MS in Africa’, authored by Dr Malya Sahu and co-authored by past MSIF Du Pré Grant recipients Dr Mashina Chomba and Dr Fifi Duodu. The study explored the key barriers to diagnosing MS across the continent and the potential impact of the revised 2024 McDonald Criteria, highlighting the urgent need to improve access to MS diagnosis in low-resource settings.  

At the Young Researchers Networking Event, Graham Walker, Vice President at MS New Zealand and person living with MS, co-chaired a discussion around public and patient involvement in research. Graham, who is one of the lay representatives on MSIF’s McDonald Fellowship Panel also had the opportunity to connect with some of the fellows he helped select, including Dr Kshiteeja Jain and Dr Enkhzaya Chuluunbaatar. 

Dr Fifi Duodu

Dr Enkhzaya Chuluunbaatar presents research

Young Researchers Event

Graham Walker and Enkhzaya Chuluunbaatar

Professor Ludwig Kappos presents the Charcot Lecture 

Professor Ludwig Kappos presents the Charcot Lecture

During the closing session, MSIF presented Professor Ludwig Kappos with the prestigious Charcot Award, recognising his remarkable contributions to MS research. Professor Kappos has been a central figure in the development of nearly every major MS treatment approved over the last three decades.  

It was an honour to hear him deliver the Charcot Lecture, ‘Developing MS therapeutics – success factors and call for innovation’, sharing expert insights on the key steps to success in advancing MS treatments.   

Overall, it was an insightful and engaging week. A special opportunity to learn from the MS research community. Learn more about connecting with MSIF members at at ECTRIMS 2025 here.