This invention provides a method for treating a human subject afflicted with multiple sclerosis or a single clinical attack consistent with multiple sclerosis with a pharmaceutical composition comprising glatiramer acetate and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, comprising the steps of 1) identifying whether the human subject is a predicted responder to glatiramer acetate by determining the genotype of the subject at one or more single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) selected from the group consisting of the SNPs in Group 1; and 2) administering the pharmaceutical composition comprising glatiramer acetate and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to the subject only if the subject is identified as a predicted responder to glatiramer acetate.