– MSdialog designed to provide people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and health care providers with injection history, treatment adherence information and health reports

– RebiSmart injection device provides updates with new version

DARMSTADT, Germany , June 2, 2014 /CNW/ – Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck, recognizes World MS Day today, announcing the launch of its updated electronic injection device, RebiSmart®, for the self-administration of Rebif® (interferon beta-1a), the company’s disease-modifying drug used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

The new RebiSmart will allow patients to self-inject. It will collect and store data such as injection times, dates and doses and send the information wirelessly to the secure MSdialog server. It is just a matter of placing the new RebiSmart in its transmitter and pressing a button.

Together with the new RebiSmart, Merck Serono is also launching a new first-of-its-kind web-based software system, MSdialog, which allows patients with MS to engage in the management of their disease by asking them to complete periodic health report questionnaires based on short forms of published instruments and standard scales, such as the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Inventory (MSQLI) and the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life (MusiQoL) questionnaires. In addition, MSdialog will allow physicians and nurses to monitor patients’ adherence to treatment and trends of their health status through the periodic health report questionnaires.

“Engaging and empowering patients through knowledge and technology may have the potential to improve outcomes by allowing patients to help monitor their own disease,” said Dr. Gavin Giovannoni , professor of Neurology at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. “The new RebiSmart and the MSdialog platform can provide physicians with access to certain treatment information as it happens, allowing for time during visits to discuss relevant, patient-specific issues. And patients using these technologies may be more in touch with their own disease.”

Patients who use MSdialog can choose to receive email or SMS reminders to take their medication, and along with their nurses they can use MSdialog in between visits to their doctor to track the adherence and patient-reported outcomes. This information can save time for more patient-physician interaction during visits.

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