My Immune System is an Asshole
MS Chronicles
MS Drug Commercials: Fantasy vs Reality
Let's talk about MS drug commercials — because holy hell, who are these for?
Every time one of these things pops up, it looks less like a medical ad and more like a Real Housewives spin-off where everyone happens to have MS, unlimited money and zero symptoms.
You've seen multiple sclerosis drug commercials on TV:
- Someone with perfect hair is DJ'ing a rooftop rave in the middle of the night.
- Another is hosting a backyard pool party with 30 guests and a golden retriever galloping in slow motion like it's filming a shampoo commercial.
- A third one is slacklining between trees, an activity so unhinged it should be illegal to show in an MS ad.
What version of MS do these people have?
Because the one I've got — and the one everyone I've met has — is the shitty version, and I'd like a refund.
Meanwhile, real people with MS are out here trying to figure out how the fuck they're going to pay for a $50k+ infusion twice a year navigating insurance paperwork written by someone who clearly hates humanity. Or balled up in the fetal position in bed all day waiting and hoping that tomorrow might be slightly better.
Pharma loves to sell the "MS Chic" fantasy
The Problem?
Normies Believe This Shit
This is where it stops being funny and starts being harmful.
Normies see these commercials and walk away thinking:
"Oh, MS doesn't look that bad.
-Miss Informed Bestie
My friend with MS must be milking it."
So when you need to rest…
when you can't do the thing…
when you overheat, wobble, forget words, or need accommodations…
Suddenly you're the problem.
Because MS, according to TV, looks like
✨ Hosting a backyard soirée ✨
✨ Scaling a cliff rock climbing ✨
✨ DJ'ing a club ✨
Pharma isn't selling accuracy.
They're selling reassurance.
To everyone except the people who actually have MS.
Instead of Reality
Legs full of static or not working at all
Tremors
Bone-deep fatigue
Heat intolerance
Nerve pain
Mobility swings
Brain fog
Medical debt
Anxiety & Depression
Yes, There Are Unicorns
Before someone skims this and sprints to the comments:
Yes — there are people with MS who can still do extreme physical things.
They exist. They're impressive. They're real.
I know some who run marathons. I know of a fellow Marine with MS who took first place in an Ironman competition.
Those stories are inspiring as hell — but they're rare. They are not the average MS experience.
Most people with MS aren't avoiding triathlons because we're lazy or "giving in."
We avoid them because our bodies won't cooperate — and because we know that pushing too hard today usually means paying for it ten-fold tomorrow… and possibly for days after.
Unicorns exist.
But commercials treat unicorns like the baseline — and that's where the damage starts.
How About Those Waiting Room Brochures?
Let's talk about the waiting room propaganda.
"Live Your Best Life With MS!"
Featuring:
- yoga on a beach
- smiling women eating salad
- a guy jogging with a golden retriever
- someone climbing a mountain at sunrise
Every time I see one, I want to yeet the entire display rack at the next person who asks, "So how are you feeling?"
Because those brochures set the bar at spiritually enlightened superhero, while most of us are just trying to stand up without hitting the floor or trying to run a errand and getting back home before pissing our pants.
I swear those images are chosen by someone whose only exposure to MS was a 30-second WebMD search.
If MS Drug Ads Were Honest
An accurate MS commercial would show:
- someone in pajama pants taking a nap at 2 PM, one sock off for no reason
- temperature gymnastics: heated blanket and a fan at the same time
- someone debating whether sitting or standing hurts less
- a pile of medical bills and insurance denials
- the pharmacy calling to say they "forgot" to order your meds
With a voiceover: "Side effects may include… existing."
Finally, relatable.
People With MS Deserve Reality, Not Fantasy
MS isn't a lifestyle brand. It's unpredictable, exhausting, expensive, and deeply personal.
These commercials don't help us.They make it harder to be believed. So yeah — stop using mansion people to sell MS drugs.
We're just trying to get through the damn day.
