Episode 448: At the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference with David, Cliff, and Michelle
Release Date: 03/30/2026
Episode 448: At the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference with David, Cliff, and Michelle
RealTalk MS
Last week, about 170 MS activists from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. to participate in the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference. It's hard to come away from this event and not feel outraged by the stories that are shared, but also inspired by the resilience and bravery of the MS Activists who are willing to share some of the worst moments in their MS journey to make sure that our elected representatives in the House and Senate understand why the legislation we ask them to support is so vitally important. I met so many truly amazing MS activists at...
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Episode 447: Walking with Many Sisters Toward a Cure with Brigitte Delaney
RealTalk MS
In 1988, there were just 42 Walk MS events, raising approximately $4 million. In 2025, there were 170 events across the country that raised over $30 million. As the largest private funder of MS research in the world, the National MS Society relies on funds raised at events like Walk MS to continue supporting the work that brings us closer to cures. This week, Brigitte Delaney, an amazing fundraiser and captain of the Many Sisters Walk MS team, shares her story, talks about the origin of the Many Sisters team, and offers her recipe for successful fundraising. We're also sharing...
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Episode 446: MS Advocacy and the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference with Steffany Stern
RealTalk MS
175 MS activists are heading to Washington, D.C. next week for the National MS Society’s Public Policy Conference. Their mission: to bring the concerns of the MS community directly to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. When it comes to the legislative support for healthcare and medical research, it's no secret that these are unusual times. Joining me to brief us on the National MS Society's ongoing advocacy efforts and give us a sneak peek at the specific legislative issues we'll be taking to Capitol Hill is the National MS Society's Vice President of Advocacy, Steffany Stern. We'll...
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Episode 445: It's MS Awareness Week with Kristine Werner Ozug and Kim, Kim, and Kim
RealTalk MS
It’s MS Awareness Week, and this year we’re diving into a theme that hits home for millions: Unseen MS. Multiple sclerosis is a master of disguise; it can be entirely invisible to the naked eye while remaining profoundly life-altering for the person living it. In this episode, we’re exploring the spectrum of the MS experience through two distinct, yet deeply connected stories. First, you'll hear from RealTalk MS team member Kristine Werner Ozug. Kristine shares what it’s like to navigate a world that doesn’t always see her struggle, and how her "mostly invisible"...
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Episode 444: Treating MS with a GLP-1 with Dr. Ellen Mowry
RealTalk MS
You know them by their trade names such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. This class of medications is known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. And while they are best known for managing diabetes and promoting weight loss, researchers are finding that these drugs are also effective in a broad range of other health conditions. So, what about MS? My guest this week is Dr. Ellen Mowry, the principal investigator of a clinical trial to determine whether a GLP-1 drug can reduce brain inflammation and provide neuroprotection in people living with progressive MS. We're sharing details...
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Episode 443: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum (Part 3) with Dr. Helen Tremlett, Dr. Ilana Katz Sand, and Kathy Smith
RealTalk MS
Welcome back to the third and final part of our coverage of the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. This week's episode bridges the gap between groundbreaking clinical research and the nuanced reality of living with MS every day. First, we'll dive into the "before" and "after" of a diagnosis, starting with Dr. Helen Tremlett’s insights into the MS prodrome—those subtle, early signs that appear years before typical MS symptoms. We'll also talk with Dr. Tremlett about how other health conditions can predict long-term outcomes in sometimes surprising ways. Dr. Ilana Katz Sand shares her latest...
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Episode 442: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum (Part 2) with Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, Dr. Daniel Ontaneda, and Kristine Werner Ozug
RealTalk MS
Welcome back to Part Two of our coverage of the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. This week, we shift our focus to emerging therapies and clinical insights that are re-shaping the future of MS care. From the latest information on stem cell transplantation to evolving treatment strategies to the labels used to describe MS, we’re breaking down the complex science into the conversations that matter most to the MS community. Joining me to discuss one of the most significant presentations from the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum is Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, who opened the event with the Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial...
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Episode 441: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum with Dr. Manuel Friese, Dr. Amit Bar-Or, and Dr. Haritha Desu
RealTalk MS
Last week, over 1,400 scientists and clinicians gathered in San Diego, California, at the 2026 Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis annual meeting, better known as the ACTRIMS Forum. This week, in Part One of our coverage, you'll hear from three of the experts who presented their research at the ACTRIMS Forum. Dr. Manuel Friese, a clinician-scientist at the Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany, where he serves as the Director of the Center for Molecular...
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Episode 440: An MS Specialist's Response to the FDA with Dr. William Conte
RealTalk MS
This past December, the FDA issued a Complete Response Letter to drug manufacturer Sanofi in response to Sanofi's application seeking approval for Tolebrutinib, the first in a new category of investigational disease-modifying therapies to undergo FDA review. A Complete Response Letter is an official letter from the FDA to a drug manufacturer stating that the agency can't approve a new medicine in its current form. It's not an outright "no" that kills a project; it's more like a "not yet." However, this Complete Response Letter raised some issues which, at first...
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Episode 439: Preventing MS with Dr. Bruce Bebo
RealTalk MS
The first coordinated global research strategy to prevent MS has been announced. This week, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the National MS Society's Executive Vice President and Chief Research & Medical Affairs Officer, joins me to explain what MS prevention looks like and how experts plan to achieve this remarkable goal. We'll also tell you who won the 2025 Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research, and we'll explain how their groundbreaking research impacts MS care. We're sharing the details of a newly announced partnership designed to reduce delays in getting an MS diagnosis and expand...
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The National MS Society has invested $2.3 million in 11 research projects focused on women's health issues and MS. We're sharing details of each new research initiative being funded.
You'll learn about a clinical trial for a novel investigational therapy for MS and other autoimmune diseases.
And we'll tell you about a study that you can participate in from home...and get compensated for your participation!
We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!
This Week: We're at the Public Policy Conference :22
Survey results show the human consequences of losing Congressional funding to support enhanced premium tax credits for ACA Marketplace Enrollees 4:45
The National MS Society invests $2.3 million dollars in research projects focused on women's health issues and MS 7:23
The first healthy participant is dosed in the clinical trial for ICP-538 11:24
An opportunity to participate from home in a clinical trial (and there's compensation!) 12:41
MS Activists David, Cliff, and Michelle share their thoughts on attending the MS Society's Public Policy Conference 15:27
Share this episode 30:10
Next week 30:30
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LISTEN: RealTalk MS Episode 446 -- MS Advocacy and the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference with Steffany Stern
https://realtalkms.com/446
SURVEY RESULTS: Cost Concerns and Coverage Changes: A Follow-Up Survey of ACA Marketplace Enrollees
https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/a-follow-up-survey-of-aca-marketplace-enrollees
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RealTalk MS Episode 448
Guests: David Silbaugh, Cliff Currie, and Michelle Constantine Hibbs