RealTalk MS

Jon Strum cuts through all the jargon and breaks down the latest multiple sclerosis news. You’ll meet the scientists who are creating tomorrow’s MS treatments today. You’ll hear from the experts discussing how the latest tweaks and changes to our healthcare laws will impact your MS treatment. And we’ll be talking to the courageous MS warriors who are out there advocating on behalf of the MS community every day, as well as the men and women who are committed to living their best lives with MS and living their best lives as MS caregivers. If you're dealing with multiple sclerosis in your life -- as a patient, caregiver, family member, or friend -- join us each week for RealTalk MS.

Episode 401: The Things That (Should) Happen at Your Appointment With Your Neurologist with Dr. Barbara Giesser 05/05/2025

Episode 401: The Things That (Should) Happen at Your Appointment With Your Neurologist with Dr. Barbara Giesser Most people living with MS don't see their neurologist often. For many, it might be only once or twice a year. A lot of important things take place during that appointment. Symptoms are assessed. Decisions about disease-modifying therapies are made or, sometimes, changed. Questions get asked and, hopefully, answered. Dr. Barbara Giesser returns to the podcast, this time, to review the things that should be discussed and followed up on at your appointment with your neurologist or MS specialist. We're also sharing some good news about MS research funding from the National MS Society and the International Progressive MS Alliance. We'll tell you how you can catch the replay of the International Progressive MS Alliance's webcast focused on putting people with MS at the center of MS research. We're sharing the encouraging outcome of the Phase 2 clinical trial for vidofludimus calcium and progressive MS. We'll tell you how you or a family member can participate in the GEMS study. And we'll tell you about a new AI tool that can accurately diagnose a patient's transition from relapsing-remitting MS to secondary progressive MS, often before a clinician can! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: What (should) happen during your appointment with your neurologist :22 National MS Society invests $18.1 million in new research 1:04 International Progressive MS Alliance funds 3 clinical trial development projects 3:53 Catch the replay of the International Progressive MS Alliance webcast focused on putting people with MS at the center of research 6:56 Immunic Therapeutics announces positive results from the Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating vidofludimus calcium for progressive MS 7:45 You or a family member may qualify to participate in the GEMS study 10:00 AI tool can accurately diagnose the transition from relapsing-remitting MS to secondary progressive MS 12:01 Dr. Barbara Giesser discusses the kinds of conversations you should be having during your appointment with your neurologist 16:49 Share this episode 30:38 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 31:00 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at Become an MS Activist Web: Email: [email protected] National MS Society Commits $18.1 Million for Research (Projects Being Funded) International Progressive MS Alliance International Progressive MS Alliance Webcast: Putting People with MS at the Center of Research Participate in MS Research: The GEMS Study GEMS Study Contact: Juliana Oyegunle Email: Phone: (212) 305-2434 STUDY: Conformal Prediction Enables Disease Course Prediction And Allows Individualized Diagnostic Uncertainty in Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis Progression Tracker Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 401 Guests: Dr. Barbara Giesser /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/36415995

Episode 400: The President and CEO of the National MS Society Looks Back at the Past and Shares a Vision of the Future with Dr. Tim Coetzee 04/28/2025

Episode 400: The President and CEO of the National MS Society Looks Back at the Past and Shares a Vision of the Future with Dr. Tim Coetzee Welcome to the 400th episode of RealTalk MS! Over the past nearly eight years, it's been my absolute honor to bring you insights from leading experts, researchers, advocates, and, perhaps most importantly, from people living with MS themselves. And we have no intention of stopping here! We're excited to continue bringing you the information and conversations that matter most to the MS community. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Tim Coetzee, President and CEO of the National MS Society, looks back at a significant milestone that took place eighty years ago. Tim also shares his detailed vision of the future for people living with MS, and discusses some of the cutting-edge MS research that he's most excited about. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Welcome to episode 400! :18 Dr. Tim Coetzee, President and CEO of the National MS Society, looks back at the past, shares his vision of the future, and discusses the MS research that he's most excited about 2:32 Share this episode 30:31 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 30:50 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at Become an MS Activist Web: Email: [email protected] Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 400 Guests: Dr. Tim Coetzee /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/36301265

Episode 399: How Spirituality Can Make a Difference If You're Living with MS with Dr. Mana Ali Carter 04/21/2025

Episode 399: How Spirituality Can Make a Difference If You're Living with MS with Dr. Mana Ali Carter Research shows that spirituality can benefit mental health and improve overall well-being. And it can play a meaningful role in helping people cope with life’s challenges, like living with MS. This week, Dr. Mana Ali Carter, a rehabilitation psychologist at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington D.C., joins me to discuss the positive effects that spirituality can have on the mind and body, and how it's been shown to make a difference for people living with MS. We're also sharing encouraging initial reports from a Phase 1 clinical trial for KYV-101, Kyverna's investigational CAR-T therapy for MS. We'll tell you about a positive report on two years of data from a Phase 2 clinical trial extension study for Frexalimab, a novel investigational disease-modifying therapy from Sanofi. We'll explain how the decision to discontinue federal matching funds for designated state health programs will have a direct impact on some people living with MS. And we'll tell you how you can register for the National MS Society's webinar in support of restoring federal funding for the MS Research Program. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: How spirituality can make a difference if you're living with MS :22 Initial reports from a Phase 1 clinical trial for a CAR-T therapy are encouraging 1:15 Two years of data from a Phase 2 extension study of Frexalimab are positive 3:07 The federal government will no longer provide matching funds for designated state health programs 5:47 The National MS Society is hosting a virtual event to support restoring federal funding for the MS Research Program 8:38 Dr. Mana Ali Carter explains how spirituality can make a difference in your life if you're living with MS 11:27 Share this episode 30:40 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 31:01 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at Become an MS Activist Web: Email: [email protected] Participate in a Sanofi Clinical Trial Register for a Virtual Event: Restore the MS Research Program Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 399 Guests: Dr. Mana Ali Carter /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/36227475

Episode 398: How Breakthrough Discoveries in MS Research Will Impact MS Care with Dr. Amit Bar-Or 04/14/2025

Episode 398: How Breakthrough Discoveries in MS Research Will Impact MS Care with Dr. Amit Bar-Or Last week, at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, Dr. Amit Bar-Or received the John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research for his multiple achievements that have advanced our knowledge of neuroimmunology, precision medicine, and biomarkers in MS. We talked with Dr. Bar-Or about how some of the latest discoveries in MS research would impact patient care. Tolebrutinib, an investigational disease-modifying therapy, is currently making its way through the FDA's regulatory process. Last week, the results of the Phase 3 clinical trials for Tolebrutinib were published, and we're sharing the details. We'll also tell you about MindGlide, an AI-powered tool for analyzing MRI scans that will significantly reduce MRI exam times. We're talking about the results of the Phase 3 clinical trial for high-dose Ocrevus. And we'll tell you about a cell therapy that doesn't use stem cells that successfully repaired myelin in the mouse model of MS -- twice! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! Congratulations to Dr. Stephen Hauser and Dr. Alberto Ascherio :22 This Week: The impact of breakthrough MS research on MS care 2:17 Results of the phase 3 clinical trials for Tolebrutinib have been published 3:07 An AI-powered tool for analyzing MRI scans will significantly reduce MRI exam times for patients 4:21 Results of the phase 3 clinical trial for high-dose Ocrevus 8:13 A cell therapy that doesn't use stem cells has successfully repaired myelin in the mouse model of MS -- twice! 10:14 Dystel Prize winner Dr. Amit Bar-Or discusses how some of the latest discoveries in MS research will impact MS care 12:39 Share this episode 22:36 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 22:56 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at Become an MS Activist Web: Email: [email protected] RealTalk MS Episode 310: The Face Laughs While The Brain Cries: The Education of a Doctor with Dr. Stephen Hauser RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra: Results from the Phase 3 Clinical Trial for Tolebrutinib and Relapsing-Remitting MS with Dr. Jiwon Oh VIDEO: RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra: Results from the Phase 3 Clinical Trial for Tolebrutinib and Relapsing-Remitting MS with Dr. Jiwon Oh VIDEO: RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra: Results from the Phase 3 Clinical Trial for Tolebrutinib and Nonrelapsing Secondary Progressive MS with Dr. Robert Fox STUDY: Tolebrutinib Versus Teriflunomide in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis STUDY: Tolebrutinib in Nonrelapsing Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Enabling New Insights from Old Scans By Repurposing Clinical MRI Archives for Multiple Sclerosis Research Fibroblast Technology Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 398 Guests: Dr. Amit Bar-Or /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/36109755

Episode 397: Managing Grief and MS with Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor 04/07/2025

Episode 397: Managing Grief and MS with Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor For many people, it can be difficult to talk about the feelings of loss that can accompany MS. For some, it's the loss of the way they imagined their life would turn out. For others, it's the more specific loss of function. Perhaps the loss of their mobility. Or a decline in their cognitive skills. It's painful to imagine any of these scenarios, let alone experience them in real life. The human response to loss is grief. And grieving itself can affect your physical, emotional, and cognitive health. Joining me today to discuss how grieving can affect you, along with ways to best manage grief, is Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor. Dr. O'Connor is a professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, where she directs the Grief, Loss, and Social Stress Lab, investigating the effects of grief on the brain and the body. Dr. O'Connor also lives with MS, and the title of her new book is The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing. We'll also share the results of a study on MS fatigue in Finland. We'll tell you about a study that focused on sexual dysfunction among women living with MS in Iran. You'll learn what a research team discovered when they connected sick days from work with the prodromal phase of MS. And we're sharing a new resource from the MS International Federation that will help you assess which wellness practices and complementary therapies may be beneficial for you. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Managing the grief that comes from living with MS :22 Results from a Finnish study adds further evidence to what we know about MS fatigue 1:36 Results of a study that focused on sexual dysfunction among women living with MS in Iran 3:13 Can job-related sick days help researchers better understand the prodromal phase of MS? 5:48 The MS International Federation has produced a very worthwhile guide to wellness practices and complementary therapies for people with MS 10:49 Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor discusses managing the grief that accompanies being diagnosed with MS 12:42 Share this episode 34:02 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 34:22 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at Become an MS Activist Web: Email: [email protected] STUDY: Evaluation of Patient-Perceived Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis Using the Finnish MS Registry STUDY: The Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction and Its Contributors Among the Women with Multiple Sclerosis STUDY: The Prodromal Phase of Multiple Sclerosis: Evidence from Sickness Absence Patterns Before Disease Onset -- A Matched Cohort Study STUDY (PLAIN ENGLISH VERSION): The Prodromal Phase of Multiple Sclerosis: Evidence from Sickness Absence Patterns Before Disease Onset -- A Matched Cohort Study DOWNLOAD: Wellness Practices and Complementary Therapies in MS Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 397 Guests: Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/36000360

Episode 396: The Importance of Cancer Screenings for People Living with MS With Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie 03/31/2025

Episode 396: The Importance of Cancer Screenings for People Living with MS With Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie Managing MS means staying focused not only on your MS but also on your overall health. That includes getting routine health screenings to stay ahead of potential complications. Recent research has shown that, compared to healthy people, people with MS are more likely to develop some cancers. Clinician-scientist Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie joins me to discuss which cancers pose a greater risk to someone with MS, why you need to make those appointments for cancer screenings, where you can find low-cost or no-cost cancer screenings, and things you can do to further minimize your risk of developing cancer. Dr. Marrie is a professor of medicine and the Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Research Chair at Dalhousie University in Canada. She's a past recipient of the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research and is recognized as one of the world's leading MS experts. We'll also explain how and why we're going to be discussing the impact of those devastating federal budget cuts and mass layoffs in the federal agencies responsible for healthcare and MS research on this podcast. We'll tell you about the FDA's decision to grant priority review to Tolebrutinib. (We'll also explain why Tolebrutinib isn't just another DMT. We're even sharing the projected date when the FDA will make its approval decision!) And you'll learn what happened when a research team set out to identify the diversity-related characteristics of the MS population in Canada. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! How we'll be talking about the impact of public policy on people affected by MS (and why we must) :22 Hear what's on the minds of some of the attendees at last week's National MS Society Public Policy Conference 3:55 This Week: The importance of cancer screenings for people with MS 12:52 Tolebrutinib, an investigative DMT from Sanofi, is granted priority review by the FDA 13:44 What happened when researchers set out to identify the diversity-related characteristics of the MS population in Canada 17:56 Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie discusses the importance of cancer screenings for people living with MS 20:02 Share this episode 30:03 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 30:23 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at Become an MS Activist Web: Email: [email protected] VIDEO: Tolebrutinib and Non-Relapsing Secondary Progressive MS with Dr. Robert Fox VIDEO: Tolebrutinib and Relapsing-Remitting MS with Dr. Jiwon Oh VIDEO: RealTalk MS 2025 ACTRIMS Forum YouTube Playlist STUDY: Characterizing the Diversity of the Multiple Sclerosis Population in Canada: A Scoping Review STUDY (PLAIN ENGLISH VERSION): Characterizing the Diversity of the Multiple Sclerosis Population in Canada: A Scoping Review Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 396 Guests: Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35918605

Episode 395: Things You Need to Know When You're Managing MS While You're Managing Menopause with Dr. Riley Bove 03/24/2025

Episode 395: Things You Need to Know When You're Managing MS While You're Managing Menopause with Dr. Riley Bove When you look at a list of the typical symptoms associated with perimenopause, you'd think you were looking at a list of MS symptoms. And, for women living with MS, that's where the confusion begins. With an estimated 30% of the current MS population now in peri- or post-menopause, researchers are beginning to focus on how menopause and MS interact and the best ways to treat symptoms. Dr. Riley Bove, a neurologist and founding director of the Sex and Gender-Enriched (SAGE) Neurology Program at the University of California San Francisco, joins me to talk about the things you need to know when you're managing MS while you're managing menopause. We'll also tell you about this year's winner of the John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research. We'll share a deeply personal poem written by a friend who's been living with MS since 1988. And we'll tell you about the results of a study that should be a reminder of the importance of starting disease-modifying therapy and the value of early intervention. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: We're in Washington, D.C., at the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference :22 Dr. Amit-Bar-Or is the winner of the 2025 John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research 2:26 Magician Wayne Dobson's poem 7:07 STUDY: Cognitive impairment is prevalent among people living with untreated MS 10:23 Dr. Riley Bove talks about the things you need to know when you're managing MS while you're managing perimenopause and menopause 14:18 Share this episode 32:56 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 33:16 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at Become an MS Activist Web: Email: [email protected] RealTalk MS 2025 ACTRIMS Forum YouTube Playlist Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 395 Guests: Dr. Riley Bove /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35815425

Episode 394: Probably The Most Important Conversation About MS Advocacy That We Will Ever Have with Steffany Stern 03/17/2025

Episode 394: Probably The Most Important Conversation About MS Advocacy That We Will Ever Have with Steffany Stern Next week, a couple of hundred MS activists will gather in Washington, D.C. for the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference. As we're seeing devastating cuts in funding for MS research, layoffs in every major governmental agency that impacts our healthcare, including the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, CDC, Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and even Medicaid funding is at serious risk, advocacy has never been more important than it is right now. I'm devoting this entire episode to a conversation with Steffany Stern, the National MS Society's Vice President for Advocacy, who joins me to assess the current legislative climate in Washington, D.C., and give us a preview of the issues that will take center stage at this year's Public Policy Conference. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Is there anything more urgent and important to discuss than advocacy? :22 Steffany Stern discusses the current legislative climate in our nation's capitol, and gives us a sneak peek at next week's National MS Society Public Policy Conference 2:16 Share this episode 25:40 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 26:08 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at Become an MS Activist Web: Email: [email protected] RealTalk MS 2025 ACTRIMS Forum YouTube Playlist Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 394 Guests: Steffany Stern /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35673405

Bonus: An ACTRIMS Forum Conversation with Kristine Werner Ozug 03/14/2025

Bonus: An ACTRIMS Forum Conversation with Dr. Emanuelle Waubant 03/14/2025

Bonus: An ACTRIMS Forum Conversation with Dr. Mikael Simons 03/13/2025

Bonus: An ACTRIMS Conversation with Dr. Daniel Reich 03/13/2025

Bonus: An ACTRIMS Forum Conversation with Dr. Christina Azevedo 03/12/2025

Bonus: An ACTRIMS Forum Conversation with Dr. Peter Calabresi 03/12/2025

Bonus: An ACTRIMS Forum Conversation with Dr. Peter Calabresi Just a couple of weeks ago, 1,800 scientists, clinicians, postdoctoral fellows, and medical residents gathered in West Palm Beach, Florida, for the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis annual meeting, better known as the ACTRIMS Forum. Dr. Peter Calabresi is the Director of the Division of Neuroimmunology and the Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine, focusing on the diagnosis and management of MS. He is the principal investigator on several clinical trials and oversees research projects focused on creating new anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective therapies for MS. At the ACTRIMS Forum, we talked with Dr. Calabresi about updates to the criteria used to diagnose MS, the importance and benefit of identifying biomarkers for MS, and what he sees in MS research today that has him excited. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Bonus Episode Guest: Dr. Peter Calabresi /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35638530

Episode 393: MS Awareness Week with Case Jernigan and Suni Conway 03/10/2025

Episode 393: MS Awareness Week with Case Jernigan and Suni Conway It's MS Awareness Week, and the National MS Society is asking everyone in the MS community to tell MS exactly what they think of it. We're kicking off MS Awareness Week by introducing you to two difference-makers in the MS community who have each found their own way of talking back to MS. Case Jernigan is an experimental animator, narrative gamemaker, and educator. His short animated documentary, Noggin, is currently making the rounds of the film festival circuit, raising awareness of how Case reacted and responded to his early symptoms of MS. Suni Conway is an MS activist who has lived with MS for nearly 13 years. Suni uses her social media platform to raise awareness about MS diagnosis and treatment, and the need for healthcare reform. Be sure to follow RealTalk MS all week long, as we celebrate MS Awareness Week with bonus episodes featuring conversations with leading MS experts from the 2025 ACTRIMS Forum! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: It's MS Awareness Week! :22 Case Jernigan explains how his short animated documentary, Noggin, reflects the early parts of his MS journey 1:02 Suni Conway discusses the motivation behind her social media efforts and why advocacy is so important 12:05 Share this episode 35:52 Don't miss RealTalk MS bonus episodes all week long during MS Awareness Week! 36:12 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 36:32 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube VIDEO: Noggin Suni Conway on Instagram Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 393 Guests: Case Jernigan and Suni Conway /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35560760

An ACTRIMS Forum Conversation with Dr. Nara Michaelson 03/10/2025

An ACTRIMS Forum Conversation with Dr. Darin Okuda 03/10/2025

Episode 392: From the 2025 ACTRIMS Forum with Dr. Lilyana Amezcua and Dr. John Corboy 03/03/2025

Episode 392: From the 2025 ACTRIMS Forum with Dr. Lilyana Amezcua and Dr. John Corboy Last week, 1,800 scientists, clinicians, postdoctoral fellows, and medical residents arrived in West Palm Beach, Florida, for the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis annual meeting, better known as the ACTRIMS Forum. I'm kicking off our coverage of this important conference by sharing two of the conversations I had at ACTRIMS 2025. First, I talked with Dr. Lilyana Amezcua about the Alliance for Research in Hispanic Multiple Sclerosis, and her just-published paper, The Impact of Person-Centered Social Determinants and Neighborhood Deprivation Associated with Disability in Hispanic People with Multiple Sclerosis. I also talked with Dr. John Corboy about aging and MS, and what he learned as the Principal Investigator of DISCO-MS, the largest clinical trial to focus on the question of whether it makes sense for someone over the age of 55 or 60 to discontinue their disease-modifying therapy. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: From the 2025 ACTRIMS Forum :22 Dr. Lilyana Amezcua discusses the Alliance For Research in Hispanic Multiple Sclerosis, and her paper focused on the impact of person-centered social determinants and neighborhood deprivation associated with disability in Hispanic people with multiple sclerosis 2:06 Dr. John Corboy discusses aging and MS, and what he learned as the Principal Investigator of DISCO-MS, the largest clinical trial to focus on the question of whether it makes sense for someone over the age of 55 or 60 to discontinue their disease-modifying therapy. 12:05 Share this episode 21:37 Next Week: Look for special episodes of the podcast with lots more interviews from the ACTRIMS Forum, featuring some of the leading MS experts in the world 21:57 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 22:10 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube RESEARCH PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITY: The Global PROMS Initiative eHealth Survey Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 392 Guests: Dr. Lilyana Amezcua and Dr. John Corboy /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35518060

Episode 391: Choosing the Right Mobility Device with Dr. Evan Cohen 02/24/2025

Episode 391: Choosing the Right Mobility Device with Dr. Evan Cohen MS can limit your ability to get around and do the things you like to do. And when that happens, the right mobility device can be a game-changer when it comes to staying safe, staying active, and improving your quality of life. This week, Dr. Evan Cohen joins me to discuss how to know when it's time to consider a mobility device, and how to choose the right mobility device for you. We’re also presenting findings from two separate studies that shed significant light on how the gut microbiome interacts with the brain and how its composition varies among individuals with MS. We'll tell you what happened when a research team gave a multiple-choice "test" measuring MS expertise to neurologists and neurology residents and then gave the same test to the leading artificial intelligence platforms. And we'll share an opportunity for you to participate in MS research by taking the PROMS Initiative's eHealth survey. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Choosing the right mobility device :22 Differences in the gut microbiome of people with MS 1:28 Evidence shows the vagus nerve is the connection between the gut and the brain 3:53 Who won the "MS expertise" showdown between neurologists and AI? 6:18 Your opportunity to participate in MS research by taking the PROMS initiative survey 8:31 Dr. Evan Cohen shares everything you need to know about choosing a mobility device 10:27 Share this episode 30:57 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 31:15 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube STUDY: Alterations in Gut Microbiome-Host Relationships After Immune Perturbation in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis STUDY: Select Microbial Metabolites In the Small Intestinal Lumen Regulates Vagal Activity Via Receptor-Mediated Signaling STUDY: Artificial Intelligence Versus Neurologists: A Comparative Study on Multiple Sclerosis Expertise RESEARCH PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITY: The Global PROMS Initiative eHealth Survey Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 391 Guest: Dr. Evan Cohen /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35391425

Special Episode: A Consensus Paper on Smoldering MS with Dr. Antonio Scalfari 02/20/2025

Episode 390: Managing MS Pain with Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman 02/17/2025

Episode 390: Managing MS Pain with Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman More than half of the people living with MS live with pain. And, too often, the distraction and discomfort of MS-related pain can stop you from fully engaging in every aspect of your life. Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman joins me to discuss treatment options for managing MS pain. Dr. Weinstock-Guttman is a neurologist and professor of neurology at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo, where she also serves as the Director of the Jacobs Multiple Sclerosis Center for Treatment and Research. We're also taking a moment to respond to all your questions and concerns about the state of healthcare policy and administration in the U.S. federal government. MS experts in Australia and New Zealand have released recommendations for MS care in those countries. We're sharing all the details. We'll tell you about the National MS Society's initiative designed to improve access to MS care in rural communities in the U.S. And we'll share the details of a study that shows that, together, obesity and smoking worsen MS symptoms faster. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Managing MS pain :22 Responding to your concerns about healthcare in the U.S. :57 Recommendations published for treating MS in Australia and New Zealand 7:16 National MS Society has launched an initiative designed to improve access to MS care in rural communities in the United States 9:09 Together, smoking and obesity worsen MS physical and cognitive symptoms faster 12:46 Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman shares treatment options for managing MS pain 14:14 Share this episode 29:19 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 29:38 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube Consensus Recommendations on Multiple Sclerosis Management in Australia and New Zealand STUDY: Smoking and Obesity Interact to Adversely Affect Disease Progression and Cognitive Performance in Multiple Sclerosis Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 390 Guest: Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35291840

Episode 389: Overcoming the Stigma of MS with Denise Schnieders and Fox Rigney 02/10/2025

Episode 389: Overcoming the Stigma of MS with Denise Schnieders and Fox Rigney Living your best life with MS means learning to overcome the stigma of having a disability, successfully navigating social relationships, and learning how to ask for and accept help. Joining me to share their perspectives and their experiences in overcoming some of these social obstacles are Denise Schnieders, who was diagnosed with MS just about a year ago, and Fox Rigney, who's been living with MS since 2012. We're also applauding a forward-thinking caregiver leave benefit that's just been announced by EMD Serono. We're sharing results of a study that show MS lesions dynamically change over time and explains why those changes aren't apparent on MRI scans. We'll tell you about an AI-powered drug repurposing platform that has identified a potential treatment for MS. We'll also share an announcement from the CEO of Google's artificial intelligence company, DeepMind, that we will see pharmaceutical drugs developed by artificial intelligence in clinical trials by the end of this year. And we'll share the details of a Phase 2 clinical trial that you may qualify to participate in. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Overcoming the stigma of disability, navigating social situations, and how to ask for and receive help :22 EMD Serono implements caregiver leave benefit (And we're applauding!) 1:04 Imaging study reveals that T-2 lesions expand and contract "invisibly" 3:16 Has an AI drug repurposing platform discovered a new treatment for MS? 6:22 We will see pharmaceutical drugs developed by artificial intelligence in clinical trials this year 8:06 Your opportunity to participate in MS resesarch 10:54 Denise Schnieders and Fox Rigney discuss overcoming the stigma of MS 14:04 Share this episode 32:46 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 33:06 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube Dynamic Expansion and Contraction of Multiple Sclerosis T-2 Weighted Hyperintense Lesions Are Present Below the Threshold of Visual Perception Contact Information for Obexelimab Phase 2 Clinical Trial Phone: (833) 269-4696 Email: [email protected] Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 389 Guests: Denise Schnieders and Fox Rigney /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35207255

Episode 388: Understanding Gut Health and MS with Dr. Ashutosh Mangalam 02/03/2025

Episode 388: Understanding Gut Health and MS with Dr. Ashutosh Mangalam When we talk about myelin damage, most of us typically think of the brain. After all, that myelin is located in your central nervous system. But the inflammation that causes myelin damage may be triggered by activity that's taking place well south of your central nervous system, in your gut microbiome, the colony of trillions of bacteria and microorganisms that live in your intestines. Dr. Ashutosh Mangalam joins me to help us understand what this gut-brain connection is all about, how that connection impacts MS, and what you can do to change the makeup of your gut microbiome. Dr. Mangalam is an Associate Professor of Pathology at the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa, where his research is focused on studying the gut microbiome and the immune system in multiple sclerosis. We're also talking about the newly published guidance from the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, recommending autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) for treating some cases of relapsing-remitting MS. We'll tell you about an experimental drug that may resolve MS-related vision issues through remyelination. And we'll introduce you to this year's winner of the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The gut-brain connection (and what it means if you're liviing with MS) :22 The European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation issue a recommendation for stem cell therapy to treat relapsing-remitting MS 1:35 Researchers develop a drug that may resolve MS-related vision issues through remyelination 4:44 National MS Society names this year's winner of the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research 7:23 Dr. Ashutosh Mangalam explains how (and why) the brain-gut connection impacts MS 11:14 Share this episode 35:38 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 35:58 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder -- Recommendations from ECTRIMS and EBMT National MS Society Releases Recommendations for aHSCT-Bone Marrow Transplant for MS STUDY: Incomplete Remyelination Via Therapeutically Enhanced Oligodendrogenesis Is Sufficient to Recover Visual Cortical Function Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 388 Guest: Dr. Ashutosh Mangalam /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/35117250

Episode 387: Inside the TEAAMS Study with Ashli and Victoria 01/27/2025

Episode 387: Inside the TEAAMS Study with Ashli and Victoria The TEAAMS study examines the effects of a remotely delivered, racially-tailored exercise training program among African-Americans with MS, who are living in low-income areas of the Southeastern United States, which is a part of the country that doesn't have many primary care or MS clinics that provide full exercise and rehabilitation services for patients with MS. Ashli, who lives with MS and has completed the TEAAMS program, and Victoria, a behavioral coach who has worked with several study participants, join me this week to share their experiences in the study. We're also talking about a new Phase1/2 clinical trial for another investigative CAR-T therapy. (And we'll explain what a Phase 1/2 trial is) We'll tell you about TG Therapeutics' plans for Briumvi, as well as their investigative CAR-T therapy. We'll tell you about the Phase 2 clinical trial for Contineum Therapeutics' oral remyelination therapy. We'll share the details of a study that shows ballroom dancing delivers both physical and psychological benefits to people with MS. We'll share some potentially good news about managing MS-related fatigue. And we'll give you a new opportunity to participate in MS research. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Inside the TEAAMS study :22 Cabaletta Bio announces Phase 1/2 trial for CAR-T therapy 1:45 TG Therapeutics will develop an injectable formulation for Briumvi 5:45 Contineum Therapeutics completes recruitment for Phase 2 trial for an oral remyelination therapy 7:52 Study shows that ballroom dancing delivers physical and psychological benefits for people with MS 9:05 Study shows that Elevida, an online German fatigue intervention, significantly reduces MS-related fatigue 11:32 Ashli and Victoria share their experience in the TEAAMS study 15:37 Share this episode 32:57 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 33:17 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube STUDY: Ballroom Dancing for People with Multiple Sclerosis: Perceptions of the Experience PARTICIPATE IN MS RESEARCH: Targeted Exercise for African-Americans with Multiple Sclerosis (TEAAMS) PARTICIPATE IN MS RESEARCH: Confirmatory Trial for Alleviating Fatigue in MS (CAFE-MS) Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 387 Guests: Ashli and Victoria /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/34933010

Episode 386: When to Seek Immediate Medical Care for MS with Dr. Kalina Sanders 01/20/2025

Episode 386: When to Seek Immediate Medical Care for MS with Dr. Kalina Sanders MS symptoms can worsen, and relapses can occur. And when that happens, how do you know whether you require immediate medical care? When is it time to go to the hospital? Dr. Kalina Sanders joins me to talk about when it's time to seek immediate medical care for MS. Dr. Sanders is a board-certified neurologist who specializes in multiple sclerosis and spasticity management at Baptist Health in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. We're also talking about MS care in the United Arab Emirates with Professor Bassem Yamout, the President of the Middle East North Africa Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis. We'll explain why Bayer's new MRI contrast agent is good news for people with MS. We'll tell you about a new Federal Trade Commission report that calls out Pharmacy Benefit Managers for inflating the price of generic specialty drugs by thousands of percent. We'll share the details of a study that shows the profound impact of menopause on MS. And we're sharing two different opportunities for you to participate in MS research. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! A word about Facebook posts :22 This Week: Worsening symptoms? Relapse? When is it time to go to the Emergency Room? 1:46 FTC reports Pharmacy Benefit Managers have marked up generic specialty drugs 1000s of percent 2:20 Bayer's new MRI contrast agent contains 60% less gadolinium 4:57 Professor Bassem Yamout discusses MS in the United Arab Emirates 6:48 Study reveals menopause significantly increases the speed of disability worsening and brain cell damage in women with MS 15:08 Two opportunities for you to participate in MS research 17:38 Dr. Kalina Sanders explains when it's time to seek immediate medical care for MS 19:54 Share this episode 31:42 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 32:02 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube Federal Trade Commission Interim Report on Pharmacy Benefit Managers and Specialty Generic Drugs Bayer Announces MRI Contrast Agent Gadoquatrane Meets Primary and Main Secondary Endpoints in Pivotal Phase III Studies STUDY: Association of Menopause with Functional Outcomes and Disease Biomarkers in Women with Multiple Sclerosis PARTICIPATE IN MS RESEARCH: Psychometric Properties of Sexual Difficulties Scales in People Living with Multiple Sclerosis PARTICIPATE IN MS RESEARCH: Efficacy and Safety Study of Frexalimab in Adults with Nonrelapsing Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 386 Guests: Professor Bassem Yamout, Dr. Kalina Sanders /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/34907640

Bonus Episode: Understanding Healthcare Provider Burnout -- How Patients and HCPs Can Work Together to Support Each Other 01/16/2025

Episode 385: A New Year Means New Benefits for Many People Affected by MS 01/13/2025

Episode 385: A New Year Means New Benefits for Many People Affected by MS The new year brings with it several significant benefits for many people affected by MS. We're reviewing how the nearly 400,000 people with MS who rely on Medicare for their health insurance will save thousands of dollars, how people with MS who currently have medical debt will see a big improvement on their credit report, and how people who fly with their mobility device will see major improvements in how the airlines treat them. We're also talking with Craig Bianco about his experience as a member of the Care Partner Advisory Board creating the MS Care Partner Connection web portal. And we'll tell you about the Phase 1 clinical trial for the Epstein-Barr Virus vaccine that's getting underway. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Where to get support if you have MS and you're a victim of the Southern California fires :22 Here's where and how 2025 is delivering new and improved benefits for many people with MS 2:06 Department of Transportation adopts new rules to improve flying for people with disabilities 10:26 Modex Therapeutics, in collaboration with Merck, announces Phase 1 clinical trial for Epstein-Barr Virus vaccine 14:03 Craig Bianco talks about his experience as a member of the Care Partner Advisory Board creating the MS Care Partner Connection web portal 17:26 Share this episode 29:12 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 29:32 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube MS Care Partner Connection Find Out How You Can Become an MS Activist RealTalk MS Episode 302: De-Stressing Air Travel if You're Living with MS with Dr. Scott Crawford Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 385 Guest: Craig Bianco /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/34825500

Episode 384: Behavioral and Lifestyle Risk Factors for MS with Dr. Jared Bruce and Dr. Amanda Bruce 01/06/2025

Episode 384: Behavioral and Lifestyle Risk Factors for MS with Dr. Jared Bruce and Dr. Amanda Bruce There are genetic risks associated with MS, there are demographic risks of experiencing a more severe disease course, and there are also behavioral and lifestyle risks that will increase the chance that someone will be diagnosed with MS. Joining me today to discuss behavioral and lifestyle MS risk factors and how they can be mitigated are Doctor Jared Bruce and Dr. Amanda Bruce. Dr. Jared Bruce is a neuropsychologist and the director of psychiatric research at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. Dr. Amanda Bruce is a clinical psychologist and an assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Kansas Medical Center. We're also reviewing the details of the Inflation Reduction Act, which means, beginning in 2025, significantly lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription medications for the quarter-million people with MS who are on Medicare. We'll tell you about study results for a novel drug that was effective in remyelination and restoring lost function to mice with the mouse model of MS. We'll share the details of a study that shows how specific comorbidities affect specific MS outcomes. We'll review results of a study that shows men with MS who start a high-efficacy disease-modifying therapy experience fewer relapses. And we'll tell you how an artificial intelligence chatbot soundly beat human experts in predicting the results of neuroscience studies. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Behavioral and Lifestyle risk factors for MS (and how to mitigate them) :22 It's 2025, and that means significant out-of-pocket savings on prescription medications for people with MS on Medicare 1:20 Novel drug shows effectiveness in remyelination and restoring function in mouse model of MS 3:26 Study shows how specific comorbidities affect specific MS outcomes 5:17 Study shows men on high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies experience fewer MS relapses 8:46 Study shows AI beats human experts in predicting results of neuroscience studies 12:22 Dr. Jared Bruce and Dr. Amanda Bruce discuss behavioral and lifestyle MS risk factors 16:43 Share this episode 32:13 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 32:33 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS on YouTube STUDY: Selective Retinoid X Receptor Agonism Promotes Functional Recovery and Myelin Repair in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis STUDY: Comorbidities and Their Association with Outcomes In the Multiple Sclerosis Population: A Rapid Review STUDY EXPLAINED (Plain English): Comorbidities and Their Association with Outcomes In the Multiple Sclerosis Population: A Rapid Review STUDY: Comparative Effectiveness of High-Efficacy and Moderate-Efficacy Disease-Modifying Agents in Reducing the Annualized Relapse Rates Among Multiple Sclerosis Patients in the United States STUDY: Large Language Models Surpass Human Experts in Predicting Neuroscience Results Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 384 Guests: Dr. Jared Bruce and Dr. Amanda Bruce /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/34728355

Episode 383: Revisiting ECTRIMS 2024 with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner Ozug 12/30/2024

Episode 383: Revisiting ECTRIMS 2024 with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner Ozug One of the most important MS research events every year is the annual European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS Scientific Congress, usually referred to by its acronym, ECTRIMS. You've made our podcast episode that followed ECTRIMS the most downloaded episode of the year. So, this week, I'm revisiting the two conversations that I had immediately after the ECTRIMS conference ended. In what has become an annual tradition, it's my privilege to sit down with the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Research, Dr. Bruce Bebo, just minutes after the conclusion of ECTRIMS to get his first impressions of the news and presentations that caught his eye. This year, I also wanted to bring you the perspective of someone who's living with MS, who attended ECTRIMS for the very first time. So, less than an hour after the conference concluded, I had a conversation with Kristine Werner Ozug. (Full disclosure, Kristine is a member of the RealTalk MS team.) We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Revisiting ECTRIMS 2024 :22 Dr. Bruce Bebo shares the announcements and presentations that caught his eye at ECTRIMS 1:59 Kristine Werner Ozug shares a patient's perspective on attending the largest MS research conference in the world 14:07 Share this episode 26:54 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 27:14 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS at ECTRIMS on YouTube Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 383 Guests: Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner Ozug /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/34509475

Episode 382: Revisiting Women's Health Issues and MS with Dr. Anna Shah and Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl 12/23/2024

Episode 382: Revisiting Women's Health Issues and MS with Dr. Anna Shah and Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl The holiday season provides me with an opportunity to indulge in what's become a RealTalk MS tradition. I reserve the last two episodes of the year to revisit the most compelling and important conversations that I've had over the past year. This week, I'm revisiting two conversations I had with two experts on MS and women's health issues. MS affects women almost 3 times more frequently than it affects men, which should make understanding how MS might impact other women's health issues a priority. Unfortunately, that hasn't really been the case. The good news is we're seeing that situation change and you can expect to hear much more about MS and women's health in the coming year. This brings me to two conversations that I had this past year when I talked with Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl and Dr. Anna Shah. Dr. Shah is an Associate Professor of Neurology and Associate Clinic Director of Outpatient Neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Voskuhl is the Director of the UCLA Multiple Sclerosis Program, she holds the Jack H. Skirball Chair in MS, and Dr. Voskuhl also serves as Faculty Neurologist of the UCLA Comprehensive Menopause Care Program. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! Happy Holidays! :22 This Week: Revisiting our deep dive into women's health and MS :44 Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl discusses her research looking at why MS affects men and women differently 2:34 Dr. Anna Shah discusses how MS can affect women's health issues and how those health issues can affect MS 13:30 Share this episode 32:18 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 32:38 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the ! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the or at RealTalk MS at ECTRIMS on YouTube Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Devices Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 382 Guests: Dr. Anna Shah, Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl /episode/index/show/realtalkms/id/34495705

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