Sativex in resistant multiple sclerosis spasticity: Discontinuation study in a large population of Italian patients (SA.FE. study)

Messina, Silvia; Solaro, Claudio; Righini, Isabella; Bergamaschi, Roberto; Bonavita, Simona; Bossio, Roberto Bruno; Brescia Morra, Vincenzo; Costantino, Gianfranco; Cavalla, Paola; Centonze, Diego; Comi, Giancarlo; Cottone, Salvatore; Danni, Maura Chiara; Francia, Ada; Gajofatto, Alberto; Gasperini, Claudio; Zaffaroni, Mauro; Petrucci, Loredana; Signoriello, Elisabetta; Maniscalco, Giorgia Teresa; Spinicci, Gabriella; Matta, Manuela; Mirabella, Massimiliano; Pedà, Graziella; Castelli, Letizia; Rovaris, Marco; Sessa, Edoardo; Spitaleri, Daniele; Paolicelli, Damiano; Granata, Alfredo; Zappia, Mario; Patti, Francesco

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180651

The approval of Sativex for the management of multiple sclerosis (MS) spasticity opened a new opportunity to many patients. In Italy, the healthcare payer can be fully reimbursed by the involved pharma company with the cost of treatment for patients not responding after a 4 week (28 days) trial period (Payment by Results, PbR), and 50% reimbursed with the cost of 6 weeks (42 days) treatment for other patients discontinuing (Cost Sharing, CS). The aim of our study was to describe the Sativex discontinuation profile from a large population of spasticity treated Italian MS patients.

Sativex in resistant multiple sclerosis spasticity: Discontinuation study in a large population of Italian patients (SA.FE. study) / Messina, S., Solaro, C., Righini, I., Bergamaschi, R., Bonavita, S., Bossio, R.B., Brescia Morra, V., Costantino, G., Cavalla, P., Centonze, D., Comi, G., Cottone, S., Danni, M.C., Francia, A., Gajofatto, A., Gasperini, C., Zaffaroni, M., Petrucci, L., Signoriello, E., Maniscalco, G.T., et al.. - In: PLOS ONE. - ISSN 1932-6203. - 12:8(2017), p. e0180651. [10.1371/journal.pone.0180651]