Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurologic disorder that mostly affects young adults and can usually evolute to physical disability. Thus, caring patients with MS brings many ethic questions for the physician. OBJECTIVE: To identify physicians and patients' perceptions about the illness and so improve doctor-patient relationship. METHOD: It was made two different questionnaires, one for patients and another for physicians, 103 patients and 44 physicians answered them. RESULTS: 96.1% of patients knew their diagnosis, all others would like to know it. From those, 74.7% thought that that way it was disclosured was correct and 90.9% said that the doctor should tell us it. The worst symptoms described were fatigue (29.1%) and motor deficits (28.1%). By other side, 68% of patients told they suffered because of the illness. The most important reason for doctors to tell the diagnosis to the patients was to improve adherence to treatment (56.8%). A familiar present at this moment was demanded for 54.6% of doctors. When asked about orientations in a pregnancy, 50% of physicians did not answer correctly. Finally, 50% of physicians were against complementary and alternative therapies. CONCLUSION: Patients want to know their diagnosis and doctors should tell them in the most adequate moment and give more information. A debate about palliative care is also necessary.
multiple sclerosis; ethics; doctor-patient relationship
