On the weekend of 19 & 20 July 2025, MS Nurse PRO proudly represented the voice of MS nursing in Japan. Our Steering Committee member, Noreen Barker, addressed neurologists, nurses, and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting the essential role MS nurses play in caring for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).
Japan, with a population of over 120 million, has an estimated 15,000 people living with multiple sclerosis. Compared to Europe, the incidence of MS is significantly lower, which brings unique challenges and opportunities for healthcare professionals and the MS community.
From September/October 2025, MS Nurse PRO’s Foundation Programme (Courses 1–5) and significant parts of our website content will be available in Japanese. This is an exciting development that will allow the Japanese healthcare community to benefit from our evidence-based learning resources, tailored to enhance MS nursing practices worldwide.
This initiative not only makes MS Nurse PRO more accessible to Japanese healthcare professionals but also creates opportunities for mutual learning. We are eager to gain insights into Japan’s approaches to MS care and to exchange knowledge that will benefit the global MS community.
This milestone marks an important step: MS Nurse PRO has now established a working relationship with the Japanese community of neurologists. At a 19 & 20 July 2025 meeting, Steering Committee member Noreen Barker spoke with neurologists, nurses, and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting how MS nurses contribute to improved outcomes for PwMS through treatment management, patient education, and ongoing support. The exchange of experiences offered valuable insights into how MS care is delivered in Japan, where prevalence is lower than in Europe and opportunities for specialist nurse training remain limited.
Building on this momentum, MS Nurse PRO is committed to engaging more Japanese nurses who care for PwMS, providing access to high-quality, nurse-specific education tailored to their needs. By fostering closer collaboration between nurses, neurologists, and the wider healthcare community, we aim to strengthen multidisciplinary care pathways and ensure that PwMS in Japan benefit from the same holistic, evidence-based approach that is shaping MS nursing worldwide. We warmly invite Japanese nurses to connect with us and become part of this growing international network.
The translation of the Foundation Programme and website content into Japanese has been made possible through the generous support of Novartis Japan. Looking ahead, MS Nurse PRO is open to welcoming additional partners from the pharmaceutical industry who share our vision of empowering MS nurses and improving care for people living with MS.
