Your Black patients deserve care backed by evidence that actually reflects them. Joining BICOMS connects you to the data, the insights, and the global network that makes that possible.
The Black International Coalition of Multiple Sclerosis Research (BICOMS) Registry is a patient-powered, community-led research registry focused exclusively on Black individuals living with MS and their care partners. The registry collects patient-reported outcomes and lived experience data to advance health equity in MS research and care.
Black patients with MS experience a more aggressive disease course, faster disability accumulation, and greater barriers to equitable care, yet they remain significantly underrepresented in MS clinical research. By referring your Black patients to BICOMS, you help generate the evidence base needed to address these disparities, increase clinical trial diversity, and ultimately improve outcomes for your patients and the broader community.
Any licensed healthcare provider who sees patients with MS or suspected MS is welcome to engage with the BICOMS Registry. This includes neurologists, MS specialists, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and allied health professionals such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, and social workers.
Providers can refer patients directly to the BICOMS website, where patients complete enrollment online at their own convenience — no clinic visit or paperwork is required from your office. To request printable resources and brochures for your practice, please contact the registry team directly at info@bicoms.org.
Patients complete patient-reported outcome surveys covering MS diagnosis and disease history, symptom burden and functional status, current and prior MS treatments, quality of life and mental health, access to care experiences, and social determinants of health. Participation does not require providers to submit clinical records; all data is self-reported by the patient.
Patient privacy is foundational to BICOMS. All data is collected under informed consent, stored securely in HIPAA-compliant systems, and de-identified before being shared with any researcher. Patient names and personal identifiers are never disclosed in publications or reports. Only the core BICOMS research team has access to identifiable information.
Individual patient data within the BICOMS Registry is confidential and is not shared with treating providers in order to preserve patient privacy and encourage candid reporting. Aggregate, de-identified findings from the registry will be published and disseminated to the MS community — including treating providers — through research publications, webinars, and conference presentations.
No. Participation in the BICOMS Registry is entirely independent of clinical care. Enrollment does not alter treatment protocols, insurance coverage, or clinical visit schedules. Patients participate voluntarily in their own time and there is no obligation for the treating provider to do anything differently.
Yes. BICOMS actively welcomes collaboration with clinicians, researchers, and institutions who share our commitment to health equity in MS. Providers interested in becoming research collaborators, serving on advisory committees, or contributing to study design are encouraged to reach out to the BICOMS leadership team through the Provider Collaboration portal on the website.
BICOMS periodically hosts educational webinars and symposia that may carry CME credit. Providers are encouraged to sign up for the BICOMS provider newsletter to receive updates on upcoming educational events and CME opportunities related to MS health disparities and registry findings.
Institutions and practices interested in becoming formal BICOMS partner sites can contact the registry team at info@bicoms.org to discuss institutional enrollment, patient outreach strategies, and collaborative research opportunities. Becoming a partner site is an excellent way to demonstrate your commitment to health equity and to connect your patients with cutting-edge MS research.
Referring patients to BICOMS requires minimal provider time. A brief conversation with eligible patients about the registry and directing them to the BICOMS website is all that is needed. No forms, no additional documentation, and no follow-up visits are required from your office for registry participation.
Providers can subscribe to the BICOMS newsletter through the website to receive updates on registry milestones, published findings, clinical trial opportunities, and upcoming events. BICOMS findings will also be shared through peer-reviewed journals and major neurology conferences.
Learn more and join the registry at bicomsregistry.org
Every enrollment matters. Every provider who joins expands our reach. Every researcher who partners with us advances the evidence. This is how we change outcomes for Black people with MS — everywhere, for every generation that comes after us.
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