EDITORIAL

Treatment recommendations for interferon-â in multiple sclerosis Interferons (IFNs), first recognised because of their antivi-ral properties,1 are a key defence mechanism involved in the control of virus infections. They are small proteins separated by nucleated cells in response to viral infection or other appropriate stimuli, and are thought to act principally on other cells in their immediate vicinity. They are divided into two types: type 1 comprises IFN-á and IFN-â, whereas type 2 is IFN-ã. Initially IFNs were considered for the treatment of mul-tiple sclerosis in the context of presumed viral pathogen-esis. Because there was some evidence for a decrease in the concentration of IFN-ã in the CSF of patients with multi-ple sclerosis, a pilot study was performed to assess its safet