‘CanBestMS’: Canadian MS Rehabilitation Clinical Best Practice Guideline Development Project

Access to rehabilitation is a priority for Canadians with multiple sclerosis (MS), as it improves health outcomes and quality of life. There is currently no Canadian standard of care for MS rehabilitation, as there is significant variation in access to and quality of care across the country. Evidence-based clinical recommendations are necessary to support advocacy for improved services across Canada.

Our aim is to co-develop the first guideline for symptom management and rehabilitation for individuals with MS. To ensure a high-quality guideline, our methods are informed by the Institute of Medicine and the Guideline International Network standards. A steering committee oversees the process. We follow an iterative cycle of literature synthesis and appraisal driven by topic specific working groups (e.g., fatigue). Working groups create recommendation statements, which are refined by and voted on by our Expert Panel. Our Expert Panel includes members from across Canada representing diverse expertise in MS rehabilitation, including people with MS. The resulting guideline will undergo external review. A website will be developed to help support application of the guideline. This evidence-based Canadian MS Rehab Clinical Best Practice Guideline ‘CanBestMS’ will be a crucial tool to inform and advance equitable access to MS rehab care.