[Medical-social aspects of multiple sclerosis]

On a daily basis the quality of life of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) partially depends on social measures. These are not specific to MS. Patients often need to be helped by hospital or town social services for the numerous and complicated administrative steps to be taken. The information given to a patient is of prime importance concerning his rights, particularly his occupational rights. Many organisations have to be contacted to obtain financial and material aids, even if the latter are considered insufficient in many fields especially for improvements in accommodation. An invalidity card may entitle its holder to certain tax reductions. The competences of the COTOREP are wide-ranging and include the recognition of the handicapped worker, his training and his regarding at work, his orientation and admission into a specialised structure, the degree of his invalidity rate and should his handicap justify it, benefits such as the handicapped adults allowance and the compensatory third person's allowance. It is essential to adopt a multidisciplinary way when dealing with MS in order to provide a better care, experiments in specialised structures and networks are being undertaken. Numerous partners are taking part in these new approaches and patient associations may find their place there. Social aspects have to be taken into account as well in the way the cost of the disease is evaluated in terms of money and humanity.