Like many people when first diagnosed with MS, I asked the question, “Will my children get MS?” I was told no. That was the late 80s, however, when there was a general belief that MS is not genetic or hereditary. There have been exciting breakthroughs since then.

The International MS Genetics Consortium (IMSGC) was formed in 2003 with the specific aim of answering the question “Is MS hereditary?” The IMSGC, along with other research organizations, now have the luxury of working...