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The recent mid-air arrest of Selma Blair has raised questions about the potential effects when someone with multiple sclerosis forgets to take their medication.
The actress, 54, was arraigned Monday on two counts of second-degree assault after allegedly attacking a police officer and a nurse following an altercation with flight attendants aboard a Delta flight to New York, the Associated Press reported.
In court, Blair’s attorney, Shawn Barnes, said Blair had missed several doses of “a powerful medication that controls severe neurological symptoms,” according to several media outlets, including AP.
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The lawyer added that Blair hit her head during the flight, departing from Los Angeles, and was in a “severe state of confusion and disorientation.” He also suggested that altitude may have been a factor.
The incident was the result of a “medical emergency” and not criminal misconduct, he said.
The recent mid-air arrest of Selma Blair has raised questions about the potential effects when someone with multiple sclerosis forgets to take their medication. (Getty Images)
Blair was diagnosed with MS in 2018.
It is unclear what medication she may have missed or if her symptoms were directly related to multiple sclerosis. Fox News Digital has contacted Blair’s representatives seeking comment.
What you need to know about MS medications
There are three main treatment approaches for multiple sclerosis, according to Dr. Lee Murray, a board-certified neurologist practicing in Jackson, Tennessee, at West Tennessee Healthcare.
“The first-line treatments we use try to prevent recurrent inflammatory attacks,” Murray, who did not treat Blair, told Fox News Digital.
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These medications often involve IV infusions, but they can come in the form of pills or injections that the patient gives themselves.
“These are often medications that people take for several years,” Murray said. “The hope is to keep the MS suppressed, to prevent (the patient) from having MS attacks.”
Selma Blair leaves Queens Criminal Court on Monday, October 12, 2026. The actress was arrested Sunday after allegedly attacking crew members aboard a Delta flight to New York. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News)
When patients experience an MS relapse, doctors may prescribe high-dose steroids, either orally or intravenously, to reduce inflammation and speed recovery, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Multiple sclerosis patients often have other health problems, Murray noted.
“If a dose of MS medication is missed, the patient is at risk of having an MS relapse.”
“For example, MS patients may have bladder difficulties, or develop depression or neuropathic pain,” he said. “So we prescribe medications that don’t treat MS itself, but treat MS-related symptoms.”
Dr. Yoshua Quinones, a board-certified internist with Manhattan Medical Practices, reiterated that there are different classes of MS medications.
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“Modifying treatment reduces relapses, new MRI lesions and accumulation of long-term disability,” Quinones, who also did not treat Blair, told Fox News Digital.
Other medications are used to treat acute relapses or manage symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty walking, spasticity, and bladder problems.
Actress Selma Blair and her son Arthur Saint Bleick attend the 26th Annual Race to Erase MS Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on May 10, 2019 in Beverly Hills. (Getty Images)
Disease-modifying therapies themselves fall into several categories, depending on the doctor.
Immunomodulators help regulate the immune system, while anti-trafficking drugs prevent certain immune cells from reaching the brain and spinal cord. Cell-killing therapies, which are generally considered highly effective treatments, target and eliminate specific immune cells.
Risks of skipping doses
It’s essential that patients adhere to their MS medications, according to Murray.
“If a dose of MS medication is missed, the patient is at risk of having an MS relapse, which can lead to acute or new neurological changes,” he said. “Many different symptoms can occur.”
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Potential effects of a relapse may include difficulty with balance, loss of vision, dizziness, bowel or bladder dysfunction, or weakness, numbness, or tingling on one side.
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“If a patient with multiple sclerosis has forgotten to take their medications and begins to develop new neurological deficits, they should see a doctor to find out if they are experiencing an active MS flare,” Murray advised.
“Recognizing this and being able to take high-dose steroids quickly can reverse some of the symptoms the patient may be experiencing.”
It is essential that patients adhere to their MS medications, says a neurologist. (iStock)
Although steroids may speed recovery from an MS relapse, they have not been shown to improve long-term outcomes, according to the MS Society.
Quinones agreed that skipping medications would reduce disease control.
“Poor adherence will increase the risk of MS-related relapse and hospitalizations,” he said. “For example, if you stop an anti-trafficking treatment, you are at high risk of rapid reactivation of the disease. Abruptly stopping this type of treatment can even trigger a rebound worse than the initial value.”
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Cell-killing agents can work over several months, so a single missed or delayed dose has a less immediate impact, Quinones added.
“A single dose of disease-modifying treatment is not catastrophic. However, if it is constantly missed, it can lead to a risk of relapse.”
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The risks of missing medications depend on the specific medication, the length of treatment interruption and the patient’s individual situation, doctors say.
Fox News’ Tracy Wright contributed reporting.
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