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Estimates of the beta-interferon (IFNB) stopping rate in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) vary and have been mainly derived from multicentre studies. This is a retrospective, hospital chart-based study of 394 patients treated by a single neurologist for up to eight years. The aims of the study were to ascertain the frequency and timing of IFNβ discontinuation in a well supported cohort, and to investigate whether the clinical disease type at the initiation of IFNβ or the reason for discontinuation influenced stopping rates. The median follow-up was 49 months. The overall IFNβ stopping rate was 28% over five years; there was a significant difference between the IFNβ stopping rates for RRMS (14%) and SPMS (23%) after three years of follow-up (P=0.0003). Patients stopped IFNβ due …