FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to SLS-005 for Slowing ALS Progression

Growing Up With a Parent’s Illness

I cried as I listened to an episode of the “Everything Happens” podcast. Writer Samantha Irby described growing up with sick parents. When she was 9, her mom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and her dad struggled with heart problems for years. They both died when she was…

Banishing Thought Loops and Living One Day at a Time

As one of the moderators for the ALS News Today Forums, I get to welcome new members and learn a little bit about each person. Many of these new members are newly diagnosed patients. Besides wanting to learn as much as possible about ALS, they also tell me they…

Radicava’s Effectiveness for ALS Not Established, Real-life Use Suggests

A review of Radicava (edaravone), an approved amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment, found the medication generally well tolerated in real-life use by patients in six countries, matching reports from clinical trials. But its effectiveness at delaying disease progression was less evident, with findings of greatest efficacy coming from Asia…

How ALS Affects the Hierarchy of Needs

I’ve written before about how the world has been shrinking for my husband, Todd, and me. Some activities, such as going on vacation or visiting people in their homes, became too difficult, even before social distancing mandates, due to Todd’s worsening ALS symptoms. But we still made an effort…