Harvard Health Content API

A doctors’ group says that a plasma treatment can help some cases of multiple sclerosis (MS). The treatment is known as plasma exchange. It’s also called plasmapheresis. It involves removing plasma from the blood and replacing it with plasma from a donor. Plasma exchange requires a hospital stay. Problems can occur, such as infections. Old guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology said it was “promising” as a treatment for MS. The new guidelines say it is “probably effective” if MS symptoms flare up and steroid drugs don’t help. Most people with MS start out having flare-ups. At other times, they have no symptoms. This is called relapsing-remitting MS. Most people end up having progressive MS. This form just gets worse. People have symptoms most or all of the time. Plasma exchange does not help progressive MS, the guidelines say.

As Congress debates changes to the health care reform bill this week, Americans remain divided on the bill, a poll finds. The Associated Press-GfK poll was done January 5 through 10. It found that support for the bill increased from 38% after the November election to 40% now. Opposition has dropped from 47% to 41%. Still, fewer than 20% want the law to stay the same. About 43% want it to do more to change the health care system. About 25% want to repeal it. About 60% oppose the requirement for people to buy health insurance. The Associated Press wrote about the poll January 17. A New York Times article on January 15 outlined the debate about effects of the law on jobs. Experts interviewed by the Times disagreed. Some said the new requirement for larger employers to provide health insurance will lead to less job growth. Others said the effect will be small.