Multiple Sclerosis Map of Scotland

That the Parliament notes with concern a recent study by the Scottish Multiple Sclerosis Register, which has found that Scotland has one of the highest global rates of multiple sclerosis (MS); notes that MS is a lifelong condition that affects the brain and spinal cord and there are 11,000 people in Scotland who have been diagnosed; understands that the study has revealed that incidence of the disease differs significantly by region and that Orkney has a diagnosis rate that is three times higher than areas such as the central belt and the Borders; further understands that women are more likely to be affected than men and that a woman in Orkney has a 1-in-50 chance of being diagnosed with MS compared with a man from the Borders who has a 1-in-600 chance; pays tribute to organisations across Scotland, including MS Society Orkney, which provide invaluable care and support to help those with MS to manage the condition and to live as comfortable a life as possible; acknowledges that further studies are needed to identify why some regions are at a higher risk of developing MS than others and to understand what other factors contribute to someone’s likelihood of being diagnosed with MS, and calls for more funding into continued research to find this information and to provide even greater treatment for those who are living with MS, with the overarching aim being to end for good this debilitating condition.