Increased use of healthcare and medication among people living with multiple sclerosis

People living with multiple sclerosis (MS) visit their GP more often and take more medication than the average person in the Netherlands. Recent research by Nivel and the MS Center Amsterdam shows that people living with MS visit their GP an average of five times a year. That is one and a half times more often than the average. They are particularly likely to visit their GP twice as often for symptoms associated with infections, such as flu or a urinary tract infection. 

Increased use of other medication

People living with MS are also more likely to be prescribed other medicines, in addition to those that treat the condition itself. This happens one and a half times more often than average. These include, for example, antibiotics, vitamins, antacids, blood pressure-lowering medicines and laxatives.

Polypharmacy: a risk for people living with MS

If someone is taking five or more medicines at the same time, this is known as polypharmacy. According to the study, one in four people living with MS are affected by this. In the general population, the proportion is approximately one in six. Polypharmacy is particularly common among older people, women, people with additional conditions alongside MS (such as diabetes or heart problems) and people with a lower socio-economic status. People living with MS who are on polypharmacy have an increased risk of dying prematurely in the years that follow. The increase in this risk due to polypharmacy is comparable to that in the general population.

It is essential that people living with MS talk to their doctor to carefully review their use of medication. Not all medications are always necessary (in the long term), and unnecessary use can pose risks, such as side effects or drug interactions. By tailoring medication use to the individual’s specific circumstances, care can become safer and more effective.

Cynthia Lemmens

Researcher

Want to know more?

Explore the full results from this study in the article by Lemmens et al. Prescriptions and healthcare use in multiple sclerosis patients within general practices in the Netherlands. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2026, 107199.

About the study

The study was conducted using data from the 2019 Nivel Primary Care Database, which contain information on over 3,000 MS patients in the Netherlands. The study was made possible by the MS Association Netherlands.