This doesn't surprise me. Medical science has developed better (and more acceptable) drugs, so it seems reasonable to pension off some of the original first-line medications. This will direct some of the more conservative Neuros to consider more effective drugs at the outset, rather than wait for more damage to occur whilst trying these first-line treatments. It won't affect the current users of these drugs, it's just for new prescriptions.

That's a good point, @stumbler. I hadn't looked at it this way. My reservations are threefold though: 1. There is wide variation in how effective a DMT is for an individual. One interferon can be a lot more effective than another one for one MSer while for another MSer either may work fine. 2. Interferons and Copaxone have been around for a long time. As a result, their long-term risks and benefits are known. We don't have such data for newer DMTs, only time will tell. For example we only now start seeing secondary immune problems following Lemtrada treatment. The clinical trials that led to EMA approval indicated that there is a 1:3 risk for this side effect. With more people receiving the treatment, this now looks more like a 50:50 risk. 3. Most DMTs are immune suppressants. Copaxone is not and it's currently the only DMT which is deemed safe when trying to conceive or pregnant. This is r