03/20/2025
On Tuesday, March 18, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society learned the Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP) has been UNFUNDED for fiscal year 25. The Society was shared a directive from Congressional Appropriations Committees’ Defense Subcommittee Chairman, Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. Ken Calvert, regarding Project Level Adjustments to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) as a result of the Continuing Resolution passed on March 14 by Congress.
“Yesterday we were met with a setback—one that leaves veterans and service members facing a future without the answers they so desperately need,” commented Dr. Tim Coetzee, President and Chief Executive Office of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. “The discontinuation of funding for the MS Research Program is not just a financial cut, but a blow to the hope that could have paved the way for breakthroughs in care and treatment for those affected by multiple sclerosis. We owe those who serve more than just words; we owe action.”
“The National Multiple Sclerosis Society will work with all partners to advocate to restore funding and ensure that the innovative and novel research from the MSRP is continued,” added Bari Talente, EVP of Advocacy and Healthcare Access for the Society. “We are calling on all advocates for MS research to come together and unite in action.”
Congress established the MSRP in 2009 to address the higher incidence of MS in military service members and veterans, with nearly 70,000 veterans affected. An MS diagnosis for active-duty military usually results in a medical discharge, directly affecting military readiness and capabilities. MS is a presumptive condition, which means it is presumed to be connected to military service if someone is diagnosed within seven years of an honorable discharge. Since the MSRP began, over 150,000 additional Department of Defense beneficiaries have been diagnosed.
The MSRP funds high-impact research that addresses urgent gaps and can make a real difference for people living with MS. Through fiscal year 24, the MSRP received a total of $153.3 million in congressional appropriations and funded 208 awards. These investments led to 395 publications, 102 follow-on grants, four patents and an additional three patent applications, and 13 clinical trials.
There are ways for you to take action now:
-Are you a veteran or military service member living with MS or do you know one? Your story could play a critical role in our advocacy work. Share your story with us today – we will never use your story without seeking your permission first.
-Share the MS Activist Network with your friends and family and urge them to sign up. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/how-you-can-help/get-involved/advocate/become-an-ms-activist/join-ms-activist-network
-Watch for an action alert next week on this topic that will coincide with 170 MS Activists joining us on Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to restore funding for the MSRP and protect Medicaid.
The National MS Society is the leading resource for MS research, education, and support. See how we drive progress to change the world for people affected by MS.
