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.
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Special Episode: Participating in MS Research with Chiquita Shepard-Knight and Earl Sneed
11/20/2025
Special Episode: Participating in MS Research with Chiquita Shepard-Knight and Earl Sneed
Welcome to a RealTalk MS special series on MS clinical trials. This special series is made possible through a generous grant from Sanofi. In today's episode, you'll meet two participants from the TEAMS Study, a research study at the University of Illinois Chicago's UI Health, in conjunction with the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Public Health. TEAAMS is an acronym for Targeted Exercise for African-Americans with Multiple Sclerosis. And the study's research team analyzed the effects of a remotely delivered, racially tailored exercise training program among African Americans with MS living in low-income areas of the Southeastern United States, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. This 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. The TEAMMS study consists of two 16-week exercise programs, completed 3 days per week at home. One exercise program combines aerobic and resistance training, while the other focuses on stretching and flexibility. Study participants were randomly assigned to one of the two programs, and all of the materials to complete each program, like yoga mats, resistance bands, and training manuals, were provided. And every study participant receives a $90 gift card in compensation for completing the program. The study's research team hypothesizes that completing the TEAAMS program would improve walking, reduce symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, depression, and pain, and enhance quality of life. This special episode of RealTalk MS is made possible by a generous grant from Sanofi. Sanofi has two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials in MS studying Frexalimab, an investigational second-generation anti-CD40 ligand monoclonal antibody. If you are interested in learning more about these clinical trials, please visit 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 !
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Episode 429: Caring for Your Partner with MS While Holding Down a Full-Time Job with Diana Grazio
11/17/2025
Episode 429: Caring for Your Partner with MS While Holding Down a Full-Time Job with Diana Grazio
Being a caregiver for a loved one with MS isn't an easy job. And, while it may consume hours of your time, often, it's not your only job. Many caregivers are the only family members bringing in an income. So, in addition to their caregiving responsibilities, they may also be facing the responsibilities that go along with holding down a full-time job. This week, Diana Grazio joins me to discuss how she balances her roles and responsibilities as her partner's caregiver while holding down a full-time job. You have online opportunities tomorrow! Participate in the National MS Society's Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit, or catch the International Progressive MS Alliance's global webcast, How Existing Drugs Could Transform MS Treatment. We have all the info for you to register for either or both! If you purchase your health insurance through the ACA Healthcare Marketplace, you've probably already been notified that your premiums will skyrocket in 2026. MS Activist, Sarah Quezada, shares how those premium increases will affect her family. Roche has announced the outcomes of Phase 3 clinical trials for Fenebrutinib and Relapsing MS, and Primary Progressive MS. It's positive news, and we have the details! Could nanoparticles penetrate the blood-brain barrier and deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly to the central nervous system? University of Illinois researchers say yes! We're sharing the details. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: It's National Family Caregiver Month :22 The MS Care Partner Connection :34 The National MS Society is hosting the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit TOMORROW! 2:20 The International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast is TOMORROW! 2:51 Sarah Quezada shares how astronomical increases in ACA health insurance premiums will affect her family 3:46 Roche announces outcomes for Phase 3 clinical trials for Fenebrutinib and Relapsing MS, and Primary Progressive MS 11:59 Could nanoparticles penetrate the blood-brain barrier and deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly to the central nervous system? 13:43 Diana Grazio discusses how she manages her role as a caregiver while holding down a full-time job 16:07 Share this episode 29:10 Next week's episode 29:30 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist REGISTER: The Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit REGISTER: International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast VISIT: The MS Care Partner Connection STUDY: Nanoparticle-Boosted Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Therapy for Immune Reprogramming in Multiple Sclerosis JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 429 Guests: Sarah Quezada, Diana Grazio
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Episode 428: The Effects of Smoking, Consuming Alcohol, and Consuming Caffeine on Your MS with Dr. Barbara Giesser
11/10/2025
Episode 428: The Effects of Smoking, Consuming Alcohol, and Consuming Caffeine on Your MS with Dr. Barbara Giesser
As researchers continue to learn about MS, it becomes clear that you can change the trajectory of your MS journey and improve your quality of life by making smart lifestyle choices. Quitting smoking and watching your alcohol and caffeine consumption are smart choices for everyone, and they can pay especially big dividends if you're living with MS. This week, Dr. Barbara Giesser discusses how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine can impact your MS. We're also sharing the details about the Black MS Experience Summit taking place on November 12th, and the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit taking place on November 19th. We'll tell you about a study that revealed what may be a novel way of stimulating remyelination. You'll meet Dr. Arman Eshaghi and hear about how artificial intelligence may impact your future MRI exam. We'll share study results that show that carbohydrate consumption may increase the risk of an individual developing MS. And we'll tell you about a study that looked at the connection between starting a disease-modifying therapy early and quality of life related to cognitive function and fatigue. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: What you need to know about how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine impact your MS :22 The Black MS Experience Summit is TOMORROW! 1:32 The National MS Society is hosting the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit on Nov 19th 2:33 Study results indicate the path to myelin repair may require subtraction, not addition 3:04 Dr. Arman Eshaghi discusses how AI may change how MRI scans are interpreted 5:12 Study results show a connection between carbohydrate intake and MS risk 15:10 Study results show how starting a DMT early impacts quality of life related to cognitive function and fatigue among people with MS 17:55 Dr. Barbara Giesser discusses how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine impact people living with MS 21:38 Share this episode 31:07 Next week's episode 31:27 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube STUDY: Gt2fi-Encoded Transcription Factor Tfii-i Regulates Myelin Via Sox10 and Mbp Regulatory Elements STUDY: Association Between Dietary Carbohydrate Intake and Multiple Sclerosis Risk: A Large-Scale Cohort Study STUDY: Self-Reported Quality of Life Related to Cognitive Function and Fatigue in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis REGISTER: The Black MS Experience Summit REGISTER: The Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 428 Guests: Dr. Arman Eshaghi, Dr. Barbara Giesser
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Episode 427: Science-Based Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS with Dr. Lisa Doggett
11/03/2025
Episode 427: Science-Based Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS with Dr. Lisa Doggett
When you're living with a chronic condition like MS, you want to be sure you're doing everything you can to preserve and promote good health. And, right now, you may be feeling confused about whether you should be getting vaccinated, and which vaccines are safe. It's understandable. Unfortunately, there's a lot of confusing information about vaccines and vaccinations floating around out there. This week, Dr. Lisa Doggett helps us get past all the unnecessary noise and hysteria and reviews the science-based vaccine recommendations for people living with MS. We're also talking about the historic meeting that took place last week between the FDA and people affected by MS. We're sharing dramatic results from the largest study of its kind that measured the true impact of MS on quality of life. And we're giving you all the details about the National MS Society's upcoming Black MS Experience Summit. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Reliable, science-based vaccine guidance for people living with MS :22 An historic meeting between the FDA and the MS community 1:17 The largest study of its kind shows the true impact of MS on quality of life 3:13 The National MS Society is hosting the Black MS Experience Summit on Nov 12th 4:40 Dr. Lisa Doggett covers everything you need to know about vaccines and MS 6:22 Share this episode 26:10 Next week's episode 26:30 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube STUDY: EQ-5D-5L In Multiple Sclerosis: Estimated Utility Values, Minimal (Clinically) Important Changes, and Direct and Indirect Influences Over Time REGISTER: The Black MS Experience Summit JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 427 Guests: Dr. Lisa Doggett
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Episode 426: Fighting Her Way Through the Health Insurance Maze with Cassandra Ashby
10/27/2025
Episode 426: Fighting Her Way Through the Health Insurance Maze with Cassandra Ashby
Some disease-modifying therapies can change the trajectory of your MS journey. But gaining access to those medications isn't always as easy or straightforward as it should be. In the United States, insurance companies are most often the gatekeepers to prescription medications. This week, Cassandra Ashby shares a story that many of you may already be too familiar with, as she takes us through her family's long, hard, and confusing struggle to get the DMT that her newly-diagnosed daughter's neurologist prescribed. I We're also talking about the game-changing results of a study that demonstrate MS-related damage to the brain occurs years before the very first symptom becomes apparent. And we're explaining why this opens the door to treatment that may stop MS symptoms from even developing. We're giving you a heads-up about changes to the way health records for MS patients are being coded, and how these changes are already creating obstacles to accessing the disease-modifying therapy that you may have been taking for months or years. And we're reminding you that you still have time to register to participate virtually in tomorrow's historic meeting between people with MS and the FDA We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The sometimes overwhelming challenge of gaining access to the disease-modifying therapy that's been prescribed by your MS Specialist :22 Study results demonstrate MS-related brain damage occurs years before MS symptoms 1:22 What are ICD-10 codes, and why do the latest changes to these codes pose potential challenges for people living with MS? 5:52 You can participate virtually in tomorrow's meeting between people with MS and the FDA 9:23 Cassandra Ashby shares her family's long, hard, and confusing struggle with their insurance company 10:56 Share this episode 31:06 Next week's episode 31:26 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 REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist STUDY: Myelin Injury Precedes Axonal Injury and Symptomatic Onset in Multiple Sclerosis WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 426 Guests: Cassandra Ashby
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Episode 425: The ECTRIMS 2025 Deep Dive with Dr. Bruce Bebo
10/20/2025
Episode 425: The ECTRIMS 2025 Deep Dive with Dr. Bruce Bebo
Just about a month ago, 9,600 researchers, clinicians, and representatives from patient advocacy organizations gathered in Barcelona for the European Committee on Treatment and Research in MS annual scientific congress, better known as ECTRIMS, the largest MS research conference in the world. Now that he's had an opportunity to review his notes and digest all of the science presented at ECTRIMS 2025, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Research, returns to the podcast to take us on a deep dive covering some of the most important research presented this year. We're also talking about next-generation CAR T-cell therapy for MS, and we'll explain why it's such exciting news. We're sharing details about a DNA-based therapy for overactive bladder that just received fast-track status from the FDA. We'll tell you about a new effort to develop a simple blood test that will detect MS progression. We have some news to share about the RealTalk MS app. And we want to remind you to check out our ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on the RealTalk MS YouTube channel! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: A deep dive into the research presented at ECTRIMS 2025 :22 Kernal Biologics received $48 million grant for the next-generation CAR T-Cell therapy 2:35 FDA grants fast track designation to DNA-based therapy to treat overactive bladder 6:02 Octave Bioscience receives grant to develop a blood test to detect MS progression 8:30 News about our app 9:42 Have you checked out our ECTRIMS Extra Conversations YouTube playlist? 10:30 Dr. Bruce Bebo discusses some of the most important research presented at ECTRIMS 2025 11:06 Share this episode 32:26 Next week's episode 32:47 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist LISTEN: RealTalk MS Ep 422: From ECTRIMS 2025 with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner Ozug WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Devices REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 425 Guests: Dr. Bruce Bebo
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Episode 424: I'm a Participant in a Clinical Trial for CAR-T Cell Therapy and MS with Jan Janisch-Hanzlik
10/13/2025
Episode 424: I'm a Participant in a Clinical Trial for CAR-T Cell Therapy and MS with Jan Janisch-Hanzlik
Jan Janisch-Hanzlik lives with MS and is a participant in one of the clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy for MS. Jan is the first person in the world to receive this one-and-done treatment, and this week, she's joining me to share her experience participating in the clinical trial. But you'll be especially interested in hearing how CAR-T cell therapy has impacted Jan's MS. Open enrollment for people with Medicare and for those who get their health insurance through the ACA healthcare.gov Marketplace begins this week, and we're talking about some of the reasons you want to pay particular attention to your 2026 health insurance options. As the U.S. federal government shutdown enters its third week, we're reviewing some of the ways that the shutdown may affect someone living with MS. And we're giving you a reminder about how you can add your voice and share your story of living with MS with the FDA by participating in the Shaping Tomorrow Together initiative. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: A first-hand account of an important clinical trial, open enrollment begins, and how the government shutdown may affect people with MS :22 Open enrollment for Medicare and Marketplace enrolees begins :22 How the federal government shutdown could affect people living with MS 4:29 Your opportunity to tell the FDA what it's like to live with MS 8:57 Jan Janisch-Hanzlik shares her experience participating in a CAR-T cell therapy clinical trial, and how the treatment has impacted her MS 11:28 Share this episode 31:38 Next week's episode 31:57 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Devices REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 424 Guest: Jan Janisch-Hanzlik
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Special Episode: The Risks and Rewards of Participating in Clinical Trials with Dr. Kathy Zackowski and Mimi Brown
10/10/2025
Special Episode: The Risks and Rewards of Participating in Clinical Trials with Dr. Kathy Zackowski and Mimi Brown
Welcome to a RealTalk MS special series on MS clinical trials. This special series is made possible through a generous grant from Sanofi. In today's episode, we're exploring the risks and rewards of participating in a clinical trial with Dr. Kathy Zackowski and Mimi Brown. Dr. Zackowski is the Associate Vice President of Research at the National MS Society, and she's going to offer an overview of the risks and benefits that you'll want to weigh in considering participating in a clinical trial. Mimi Brown lives with primary progressive MS, and Mimi is going to share her own experience as a participant in multiple clinical trials. This special episode of RealTalk MS has been made possible through a generous grant from Sanofi. Sanofi has two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials in MS studying Frexalimab, an investigational second-generation anti-CD40 ligand monoclonal antibody. If you are interested in learning more about these clinical trials, please visit 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 !
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Episode 423: Understanding Infections and MS with Dr. Robert Fox
10/06/2025
Episode 423: Understanding Infections and MS with Dr. Robert Fox
From the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, people living with MS have been justifiably concerned about how a COVID-19 infection might impact their MS. As the new "Stratus" strain of COVID-19 is currently surging in the United States, research is providing answers we didn't have five years ago. Dr. Robert Fox, the Managing Director of the NARCOMS Patient Registry, joins me to discuss how COVID-19 infections and other infections impact people with MS. As ECTRIMS, the world's largest MS research conference, approached, many attendees anticipated the FDA's decision on whether to approve Tolebrutinib, the first in a new category of disease-modifying therapies. Instead, the FDA has requested additional time for its review. We'll fill you in on the FDA's new target action date, and explain why there's strong interest in this particular disease-modifying therapy. We know there's a specific gene that increases the risk of someone developing MS. But have you ever wondered where that gene came from, or why it exists at all? At ECTRIMS, Professor Lars Fugger took us on a journey 5,000 years into the past to explain its origin. When I spoke with him, Professor Fugger also explained how events from ancient history are still affecting the risk of developing MS today. You won't want to miss this compelling conversation! At ECTRIMS, I also caught up with Jason Tardio, the President, and Dr. Andreas Muehler, the Chief Medical Officer, from Immunic Therapeutics. We talked about how their investigative drug, vidofludimus calcium, could potentially benefit people with MS by combating inflammation, protecting the nervous system, and offering antiviral benefits. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Infections and MS, and more from ECTRIMS 2025! :22 FDA extends its review of Tolebrutinib 1:42 From ECTRIMS: Professor Lars Fugger discusses the origin of the gene that increases an individual's risk of developing MS 4:11 From ECTRIMS: Jason Tardio, President, and Dr. Andreas Muehler, Chief Medical Officer, at Immunic Therapeutics, discuss how vidofludimus calcium could potentially benefit people with MS 11:22 Dr. Robert Fox discusses what the research reveals about how COVID-19 infections and other infections impact people living with MS 16:34 Share this episode 32:00 Next week's episode 32:19 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Devices REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 423 Guests: Professor Lars Fugger, Jason Tardio, Dr. Andreas Meuhler, and Dr. Robert Fox
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Episode 422: From ECTRIMS 2025 with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner Ozug
09/29/2025
Episode 422: From ECTRIMS 2025 with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner Ozug
Last week, over 9600 MS researchers and clinicians gathered in Barcelona for the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis annual scientific congress -- ECTRIMS 2025. Minutes after the conference adjourned, in what has become an annual tradition, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice President of Research at the National MS Society, joined me to share his initial thoughts on the science presented at the meeting. Then, Kristine Werner Ozug, a member of the RealTalk MS team who lives with MS, joined me to share her perspective on three non-stop days of presentations, news, and announcements. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: It's all about ECTRIMS 2025! :22 The Executive Vice President of Research at the National MS Society, Dr. Bruce Bebo, shares his initial impressions of ECTRIMS 2025 1:17 As someone who lives with MS, Kristine Werner Ozug shares her thoughts on ECTRIMS 2025 10:03 Share this episode 22:30 Next week's episode 22:50 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Devices REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 422 Guests: Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner Ozug
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Episode 421: Optimizing Your Brain Health with Nurse Practitioner Erin Wilkinson
09/22/2025
Episode 421: Optimizing Your Brain Health with Nurse Practitioner Erin Wilkinson
Happy birthday to us! RealTalk MS is 8 years old today! It's hard for me to believe that the podcast I launched in 2017, with the goal of one day reaching 300 listeners, today reaches thousands of people living with MS, their care partners, MS researchers, and clinicians in more than 100 countries. So, let me start this week's show notes with a profound thank you to each of you for being an important part of the RealTalk MS listener community. Your ongoing engagement is a constant reminder that our podcast is a two-way conversation. And I'm looking forward to continuing the conversation until we can talk about MS in the past tense. MS can affect memory, attention, and processing speed. But proactive strategies can help preserve your cognitive function and quality of life. Erin Wilkinson, a nurse practitioner in the Multiple Sclerosis Department of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, is joining me to help us better understand the relationship between MS and brain health and to share strategies for preserving and even improving brain health. You'll also meet Jan Bonville, a consultant, speaker, writer, and advocate for inclusive travel and patient empowerment. Jan has lived with MS for twenty years, and our conversation focused on resilience, empowerment, and self-advocacy. As you will hear, these are things that Jan lives every day. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Happy birthday to us and greetings from ECTRIMS! :22 MS advocate Jan Bonville discusses resilience, empowerment, and self-advocacy 4:40 Nurse Practitioner Erin Wilkinson shares strategies for optimizing your brain health 23:03 Share this episode 41:01 Next week's episode 41:21 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist LISTEN: RealTalk MS Episode 416: The Updated McDonald Diagnostic Criteria for MS with Dr. Andrew Solomon VIDEO: Dr. Robert Fox explains the results of the Phase 3 clinical trial for Tolebrutinib and Non-relapsing secondary progressive MS JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Devices REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 421 Guests: Jan Bonville and NP Erin Wilkinson
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Special Episode: Dr. Aaron Boster Explains MS Clinical Trials
09/17/2025
Special Episode: Dr. Aaron Boster Explains MS Clinical Trials
You're living with MS, and maybe you're thinking about participating in an MS clinical trial. But how do they work? Are they safe? What's the difference between Phase 1, 2, and 3 trials? What are the real patient risks and benefits of participating in a clinical trial? In this special episode of RealTalk MS, we're getting answers to those questions and so much more from my guest, Dr. Aaron Boster. Dr. Boster is the founder of the Boster Center for Multiple Sclerosis in Columbus, Ohio, where he brings over 20 years of experience as an MS clinician. Dr. Boster has also participated in more than 65 clinical trials. This special episode of RealTalk MS has been made possible through a generous grant from Sanofi. Sanofi has two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials in MS studying Frexalimab, an investigational second-generation anti-CD40 ligand monoclonal antibody. If you are interested in learning more about these clinical trials, please visit 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 !
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Episode 420: A DIY Kit for Improving Your MS Journey with Julie Polisena
09/15/2025
Episode 420: A DIY Kit for Improving Your MS Journey with Julie Polisena
Disease-modifying therapies are the cornerstone of MS treatment, but they're not the only piece of the puzzle. Beyond prescription medications, self-care that includes making healthy lifestyle choices can significantly improve your quality of life with MS. Julie Polisena knows this firsthand. Julie lives with MS, and in a recent blog post, she shared a comprehensive list of the lifestyle changes that have improved her quality of life with MS. Julie joins us today to discuss some of the most impactful changes you can make to start your own journey toward better health and wellness. We're also diving into the science behind some of the most talked-about diets for MS. We're breaking down the research on the Mediterranean diet, the Keto diet, the Wahls Diet, the Swank Diet, a gluten-free diet, and intermittent fasting, giving you an overview of the studies that have measured their impact on MS. We're discussing the latest developments in the ongoing scrutiny of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). There's significant pending legal action and a congressional investigation targeting PBMs, the powerful and secretive middlemen in the prescription drug supply chain. And we'll tell you how they've profited at the expense of millions of people with chronic illnesses, including people living with MS. We'll tell you about a clinical trial that's testing an injectable formulation of Briumvi. You'll hear about a promising new strategy for myelin repair. And we'll remind you about a warning from the FDA and Health Canada about glatiramer acetate (Copaxone). We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: A DIY approach to improving your MS journey :22 A roundup of studies that focused on popular diets for people with MS 1:53 Congress and the FTC have pharmacy benefit managers in their sites 7:32 TG Therapeutics is testing an injectable form of Briumvi 9:32 A research team has developed a novel remyelination strategy 11:03 A warning about glatiramer acetate has been issued 14:08 Julie Polisena discusses lifestyle changes that can make a difference in your quality of life 16:58 Share this episode 33:24 Next week's episode 33:43 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist READ: Small Changes, Big Impact: Managing My MS Through Lifestyle Changes https://mscanada.ca/find-support/blog/small-changes-big-impact-managing-my-ms-through-lifestyle-change STUDY: The Role of Nutrition and Physical Activity in Modulating Disease Progression and Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis STUDY: Transient Gene Melting Governs the Timing of Oligodendrocyte Maturation REVIEW: Copaxone, Glatopa (Glatiramer Acetate) FDA Drug Safety Communication JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Devices REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, , and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, . RealTalk MS Episode 420 Guest: Julie Polisena
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Episode 419: A Whole-Person Health Approach to MS Care with Dr. Lynne Shinto
09/08/2025
Episode 419: A Whole-Person Health Approach to MS Care with Dr. Lynne Shinto
Some people living with MS adhere to a treatment plan based exclusively on what we might consider traditional medicine. Others opt for alternative treatments. And, still, others take a whole-person health approach, blending integrative medicine with traditional treatments designed to support an individual's mind and body. Dr. Lynne Shinto joins me to discuss how a whole-person health approach can transform living with MS. Dr. Shinto is a Professor of Neurology and an MS Specialist at the Center for Women's Health at Oregon Health and Science University. We're also sharing some encouraging news about funding for the National Institutes of Health in 2026. We'll explain the research that has led to the identification of a new and quite different subtype of MS. We'll tell you about this year's winner of the Rachel Horne Prize for Women's Research in Multiple Sclerosis. The National MS Society's virtual program, New to MS: Navigating Your Journey, takes place in just two days. We have all the details! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: A whole-person health approach to MS care :22 House Republicans reject President Trump's $20 billion cut to 2026 NIH funding 1:26 Have researchers identified a new MS subtype? 4:16 This year's winner of the Rachel Horne Prize for Women's Research in Multiple Sclerosis 8:27 We're two days away from the National MS Society's New to MS: Navigating Your Journey virtual program 9:53 Dr. Lynne Shinto discusses how taking a whole-person approach to MS care can transform your MS journey 12:04 Share this episode 31:41 Next week's episode 32:01 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist STUDY: Large-Scale Online Assessment Uncovers a Distinct Multiple Sclerosis Subtype with Selective Cognitive Impairment REGISTER: New To MS: Navigating Your Journey 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 419 Guest: Dr. Lynne Shinto
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Episode 418: The Importance of Developing a Growth Mindset When You're Living With MS with Dr. Mirian Franco
09/01/2025
Episode 418: The Importance of Developing a Growth Mindset When You're Living With MS with Dr. Mirian Franco
Living with MS means living with uncertainty, possible physical disability or cognitive dysfunction, bouts of crushing fatigue, mood changes, and let's not forget the very real irritation of well-meaning people telling you how healthy you look. Just processing the world around you can feel challenging. In this episode, psychologist Dr. Miriam Franco joins me to discuss how developing a growth mindset can make all the difference in how you experience your MS journey. We're also sharing a real-world example of how the drastic cuts in federal funding are already impacting MS care. We'll tell you about the first country in the world to approve Tolebrutinib, a new disease-modifying therapy for nonrelapsing secondary progressive MS. And we'll explain why people are particularly excited about this medication. We'll share details about the MS Clinical Imaging and Data Resource that's been launched by the International Progressive MS Alliance. We'll tell you how and where to catch the MS Standup Comedy Benefit next Monday in New York. And we're reminding you about your opportunity to impact future MS therapies by helping the FDA better understand what living with MS is really like. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Developing a growth mindset :22 How those federal research funding cuts are impacting MS patient care 1:30 United Arab Emirates becomes the first country in the world to approve Tolebrutinib for nonrelapsing secondary progressive MS 5:05 The International Progressive MS Alliance launches an MS Clinical Imaging and Data Resource open to the MS research community 8:32 The MS Standup Comedy Benefit takes place next Monday in New York 10:15 Add your voice and participate in the Shaping Tomorrow Together initiative 11:04 Dr. Miriam Franco discusses what it means to have a growth mindset when you're living with MS 14:50 Share this episode 34:11 Next week's episode 34:31 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA VIDEO: Dr. Robert Fox, Principal Investigator in the Phase 3 Clinical Trial for Tolebrutinib and Secondary Progressive MS VIDEO: Dr. Jiwon Oh, Principal Investigator in the Phase 3 Clinical Trial for Tolebrutinib and Relapsing-Remitting MS The International Progressive MS Alliance Clinical Imaging and Data Resource ATTEND: MS Stand-Up Comedy Benefit 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 418 Guest: Dr. Miriam Franco
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Episode 417: Music and the Body with Emmy Award-Winning Composer Jeff Beal
08/25/2025
Episode 417: Music and the Body with Emmy Award-Winning Composer Jeff Beal
If you've watched the critically acclaimed series, House of Cards, on Netflix, or the OCD detective series, Monk, on the USA Network, you've already listened to some of five-time Emmy award-winning composer Jeff Beal's work. This week, Jeff joins me to discuss his journey as an artist and as someone living with MS. We're also sharing all the details about the free event taking place at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California, on September 1, when Jeff joins conductor Leonard Slatkin and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for a free concert featuring three of Jeff's works, including a world premiere! We're also explaining a newly introduced AI-based model of MS that replaces the MS subtypes (relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive, primary progressive) with a continuum that tracks four different states. We'll tell you about a study that identified specific gut bacteria that may determine whether an individual is susceptible to MS. And we'll share the details of a study that identified the first genetic marker that can accurately predict how someone will respond to a disease-modifying therapy. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Emmy award-winning composer Jeff Beal discusses his work and his MS journey :22 An AI-based model of MS 1:18 A study identifies specific gut bacteria that may be linked to MS susceptibility 4:49 A study identifies the first genetic marker for accurately predicting an individual's response to MS treatment 6:29 Composer Jeff Beal discusses his journey as an artist and as someone living with MS 9:57 Share this episode 30:36 Coming next week 30:56 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA ATTEND: Music + The Body An AI-Driven Reclassification of Multiple Sclerosis Progression STUDY: Multiple Sclerosis and Gut Microbiota: Lachnospiraceae From the Ileum of MS Twins Trigger MS-Like Disease in Germfree Transgenic Mice -- An Unbiased Functional Study PARTICIPATE: International MS Microbiome Study STUDY: HLA-A*03:01 As Predictive Genetic Biomarker for Glatiramer Acetate Treatment Response in Multiple Sclerosis: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis 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 417 Guest: Jeff Beal
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Episode 416: The Updated McDonald Diagnostic Criteria for MS with Dr. Andrew Solomon
08/18/2025
Episode 416: The Updated McDonald Diagnostic Criteria for MS with Dr. Andrew Solomon
Since 2001, clinicians have relied on the McDonald Diagnostic Criteria as the gold standard for diagnosing someone with multiple sclerosis. As science continues to add to our understanding of MS, the McDonald Criteria have been updated in 2005, 2010, 2017, and most recently in 2024. This latest iteration of the McDonald criteria will be published in September, and today, Dr. Andrew Solomon is giving us a preview of what these changes are, what they mean, and how they're going to improve the process of diagnosing someone with MS. We'll also share results of a study that show MS may actually start 15 years before someone experiences their first MS symptom. We'll tell you about a study that shows a decline in the number of people with MS who are progressing to secondary progressive MS. We'll give you all the details so you can participate in the Shaping Tomorrow Together initiative with the FDA. And we'll remind you that Burgers to Beat MS Day is just two days away! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Updated criteria for diagnosing MS :22 Study results show that MS actually starts many years before the first symptom 1:21 Study shows a decline in the number of people progressing to secondary progressive MS 7:40 A unique opportunity for you to impact future treatments and share your experience of living with MS with the FDA 9:51 We're just 2 days away from Burgers to Beat MS Day! 13:06 Dr. Andrew Solomon shares a preview of the updated McDonald Diagnostic Criteria for MS 14:40 Share this episode 26:20 Coming next week 26:41 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 PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA STUDY: Health Care Use Before Multiple Sclerosis Symptom Onset STUDY: Health Care Use Before Multiple Sclerosis Symptom Onset (PLAIN ENGLISH VERSION) STUDY: Multiple Sclerosis From Onset to Secondary Progression: A 30-Year Italian Register Study DONATE: Burgers To Beat 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 416 Guest: Dr. Andrew Solomon
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Episode 415: Your Money -- Ways to Earn and Hold Onto More of It When You're Living with MS with Beth Scott and Paula Cole
08/11/2025
Episode 415: Your Money -- Ways to Earn and Hold Onto More of It When You're Living with MS with Beth Scott and Paula Cole
Living with MS is expensive. Very expensive. It's estimated that the average cost of living with MS is over $88,000 per year. How, in the midst of financial stress and uncertainty, can you formulate a financial plan that takes MS into account? Paula Cole lives with MS, and she also lives with a lot of financial planning savvy. Paula joins the podcast to share tips and strategies for establishing a personal financial plan for you and your family -- even while you're coping with MS. And Beth Scott, the director of case management at the Patient Advocate Foundation, joins us to explain how you can take advantage of work incentive programs that allow an individual to keep working or even try returning to work while they're receiving Social Security Disability cash benefits. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Ways to earn and hold onto more money when you're living with MS :22 Beth Scott explains how you can benefit from work incentive programs while you're receiving Social Security Disability cash benefits :35 Paula Cole shares tips and strategies for establishing a personal financial plan for you and your family when you're living with MS 12:48 Share this episode 27:47 Next Week: The new criteria for diagnosing MS 28:07 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 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 415 Guests: Beth Scott, Paula Cole
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Episode 414: Finding Peace in the Midst of Uncertainty with Andrea Arzt, LCSW, MSCS
08/04/2025
Episode 414: Finding Peace in the Midst of Uncertainty with Andrea Arzt, LCSW, MSCS
Living with MS has always meant living with uncertainty. Left unchecked, that uncertainty can lead to anxiety, which can make your MS symptoms feel worse. This week, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Andrea Arzt, joins me to share tips and strategies for finding peace in the midst of uncertainty. You'll also meet the CEO of the MS International Federation, Dr. Lydia Makaroff. And you'll hear how artist Gordon Keith is combining his art with philanthropy in support of MS Canada. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Finding peace during uncertain times :22 Dr. Lydia Makaroff discusses the work that the MS International Federation is involved in on behalf of the global MS community :58 Gordon Keith discusses his life as an artist and how he's using his art to raise funds for MS Canada 10:43 Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Andrea Arzt, offers strategies for finding peace of mind while facing uncertainty 21:40 Share this episode 32:12 Next Week: It's all about the money! 32:32 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 Become an MS Activist 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 414 Guests: Dr. Lydia Makaroff, Gordon Keith, and Andrea Arzt
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Episode 413: How AI Will Impact MS Patient Care with Dr. Brad Willingham
07/28/2025
Episode 413: How AI Will Impact MS Patient Care with Dr. Brad Willingham
We're witnessing the early stages of a paradigm shift, as artificial intelligence is beginning to impact virtually every aspect of healthcare, from research to patient care. And there's much, much more to come. This week, Dr. Brad Willingham, the Director of MS Research at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, joins me to discuss how AI will impact MS patient care. We'll also share the encouraging results from a Phase 2 open-label extension study for Fenebrutinib, an investigational disease-modifying therapy. We'll tell you about study results that show exercise interventions that follow physical activity guidelines for MS can have a significant impact on MS-related depression. And we're sharing the results of a study that illustrate what can happen when you delay starting a disease-modifying therapy. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: How AI will impact MS patient care :22 Fenebrutinib shows positive results after one-year extension study 1:33 MS-related depression can be significantly eased through exercise intervention that follows physical activity guidelines for MS 3:36 What happens when you delay starting disease-modifying therapy? 8:46 Dr. Brad Willingham discusses how artificial intelligence is impacting all aspects of healthcare 14:29 Share this episode 33:18 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 33:38 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 Become an MS Activist STUDY: Safety and Efficacy of Fenebrutinib in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (FENopta): A Multicentre, Double-Blind, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 2 Trial and Open-Label Extension STUDY: Effects of Meeting Exercise Guidelines on Depression and Anxiety in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Exercise and Physical Activity Recommendations for ALL People with MS STUDY: Delayed Access and Adherence are Real-World Challenges That Compromise Effectiveness of Natalizumab 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 413 Guest: Dr. Brad Willingham
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Episode 412: Understanding Late-Onset MS with Dr. Jacqueline Nicholas
07/21/2025
Episode 412: Understanding Late-Onset MS with Dr. Jacqueline Nicholas
More people over the age of 50 are being diagnosed with MS than ever before. When you consider the other health conditions that often develop as we age, and you add the fact that our immune system changes with age, there's a lot to think about when it comes to diagnosing and treating late-onset MS. This week, Dr. Jacqueline Nicholas, the System Chief of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis at the OhioHealth Multiple Sclerosis Center, joins me to help us better understand late-onset MS. We'll also tell you about research results that could lead to a simple blood test that can predict MS years before someone experiences a single symptom. You'll learn about an ultra-high resolution brain imaging tool that could open the door to precision neuroscience and revolutionize the treatment of neurological disorders The FDA wants to talk with people about what living with MS is like, and what they're looking for in future treatments. We'll tell you how and where to register for an informational webinar that will give you all the details about the Shaping Tomorrow Together initiative. And if you're in or around Northern California, we'll remind you that you can join us this Saturday in Napa Valley at Crush MS! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Understanding Late-Onset MS :22 How a simple blood test may predict MS years before someone experiences any symptoms 1:34 How a new ultra-high resolution brain imaging tool may revolutionize the treatment of neurological disorders 6:40 Are you interested in telling the FDA what it's like living with MS, and what you want in future treatments? 8:53 Are you ready to support MS research while spending the afternoon in a Napa Valley vineyard? Get all the details to attend Crush MS 10:29 Dr. Jacqueline Nicholas discusses what's different and what's the same in treating late-onset MS 12:09 Share this episode 29:26 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 29:46 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 STUDY: Early Identification of Individuals at Risk for Developing Multiple Sclerosis by Quantification of EBNA-1-381-452-Specific Antibody Titers REGISTER: Informational Webinar on the FDA "Shaping Tomorrow Together" Listening Session EVENT: Crush 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 412 Guest: Dr. Jacqueline Nicholas
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Episode 411: An Encouraging Clinical Trial for Progressive MS with Jason Tardio
07/14/2025
Episode 411: An Encouraging Clinical Trial for Progressive MS with Jason Tardio
Back in Episode #401, we reported promising results from a Phase 2 clinical trial for vidofludimus calcium and its impact on progressive MS. This therapy is being developed by Immunic Therapeutics, and this week, Jason Tardio, Immunic's President and Chief Operating Officer, joins me to share some of the specifics of that clinical trial. Jason will also shed light on why Immunic believes that vidofludimus calcium goes beyond merely slowing disability, potentially offering vital neuroprotection for MS patients, making it a potential game-changer. We're also sharing the encouraging results from a study that focused on the efficacy of neural stem cell transplantation as a remyelination therapy. We'll tell you about a study in the U.K. that measured disability progression among people with MS five years after undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT). You'll learn about an AI tool that can predict whether someone living with MS is likely to experience progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) with a high degree of accuracy. We'll tell you where you can catch the International Progressive MS Alliance webcast featuring a panel of experts discussing the future role of digital tools in MS research. We'll explain how one of the less publicized aspects of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will impact future MS care. And Crush MS is less than two weeks away! We're sharing all the details! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Encouraging results from a clinical trial for progressive MS. :22 How a less-publicized aspect of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will impact future MS patient care 1:18 A study looked at the efficacy of neural stem cell transplantation as a remyelination therapy 4:31 A study in the U.K. analyzed disability progression among people with MS five years after receiving autologous hematopoietic stem cell therapy (aHSCT) 7:42 Can AI accurately predict who will experience progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA)? 10:45 Don't miss the International Progressive MS Alliance webcast featuring experts discussing the future role of digital tools in MS research 12:40 Are you ready to support MS research while spending the afternoon in a Napa Valley vineyard? Get all the details to attend Crush MS 13:45 Jason Tardio, President and Chief Operating Officer of Immunic Therapeutics, discusses the recent Phase 2 clinical trial for vidofludimus calcium as a therapy for progressive MS 15:03 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 STUDY: Remyelination of Chronic Demyelinated Lesions With Directly Induced Neural Stem Cells STUDY: Autologous Haemotopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in the U.K.: A 20-Year Retrospective Analysis of Activity Haematological Outcomes from the British Society of Blood And Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy STUDY: Deep Learning to Predict Progression Independent of Relapse Activity at a First Demyelinating Event WEBCAST: A Discussion From the International Progressive MS Alliance's Digital Tools Workshop EVENT: Crush 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 411 Guest: Jason Tardio
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Episode 410: From the International Progressive MS Alliance Digital Tools Workshop -- Part Two
07/07/2025
Episode 410: From the International Progressive MS Alliance Digital Tools Workshop -- Part Two
Over the past few months, we've shared news about an algorithm that can accurately predict whether someone living with MS will experience worsening symptoms or a relapse in the weeks ahead. You've heard about a three-quarter-of-a-million-dollar investment by the International Progressive MS Alliance to support the development of an AI-based tool that will predict future disability as well as how someone with MS will respond to different disease-modifying therapies. Just last week, you learned about a digital tool that can accurately diagnose whether someone has relapsing-remitting MS or progressive MS -- after a five-minute test! Digital tools are poised to rewrite the rules when it comes to conducting MS research and providing patient care. Welcome to Part Two of our coverage of the Digital Tools Workshop hosted by the International Progressive MS Alliance. In this week's episode, you'll hear Vanessa Fanning share her perspective as someone living with progressive MS on how digital tools can benefit people with progressive MS, while also highlighting some of the challenges that need to be addressed. Then, you'll hear neuroimmunologist and data scientist Professor Sergio Baranzini discuss how all the data that digital tools produce will be integrated into MS research and MS care. Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie recaps the topics covered at the meeting and describes the next steps necessary to integrate digital tools into MS clinical care. And we'll have to take a moment to share the frightening real-world consequences of last week's decision by President Trump and Congress to cut a trillion dollars from Medicaid. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The real-world impact of the Big, Beautiful Bill on people with MS and any other chronic illness :22 An example of how a digital tool could revolutionize MS patient care 7:41 Vanessa Fanning shares a patient's perspective on how digital tools can benefit people living with progressive MS and reminds us of the challenges that still need to be solved 11:19 Professor Sergio Baranzini discusses managing big data in the clinic 23:15 Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie provides a recap of the workshop and describes the next steps to be taken 31:07 Share this episode 43:21 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 43:41 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 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 410 Guests: Vanessa Fanning, Professor Sergio Baranzini, Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie
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Episode 409: From the International Progressive MS Alliance Digital Tools Workshop
06/30/2025
Episode 409: From the International Progressive MS Alliance Digital Tools Workshop
Last week, I was in Philadelphia, attending the Digital Tools Workshop hosted by the International Progressive MS Alliance. Welcome to Part One of our coverage! As we look around us, it's hard to imagine a single aspect of our lives that hasn't been impacted by the constant and rapid evolution of technology. Just consider the capabilities of the device you're using to listen to this podcast. This workshop highlighted the ways that emerging digital tools will accelerate MS clinical trials and enhance personalized MS care. In this week's episode, you'll hear Dr. Robert Fox, the Chair of the International Progressive MS Alliance Scientific Steering Committee, and Dr. Tim Coetzee, President and CEO of the National MS Society, discuss some of the ways digital tools can impact MS research and care, as well as some of the issues that need to be addressed to ensure that everyone living with MS can benefit from these tools. Then, you'll hear the workshop co-chair, Dr. Jennifer Graves, discuss her team's work in developing a digital tool that can accurately determine whether an individual has relapsing-remitting MS or progressive MS -- after a 5-minute test that consists of tapping their fingers and feet! You'll hear Dr. Anne Helme, the Head of Research and Access at the MS International Federation, explain how digital tools can boost patient-reported outcomes in MS research. And you'll hear Dr. Stefan Gold share the positive results of his study involving an at-home digital intervention designed to treat depression among people with MS. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: From the International Progressive MS Alliance Digital Tools Workshop :22 Dr. Tim Coetzee and Dr. Robert Fox discuss how digital tools will impact MS research and care :54 Dr. Jennifer Graves talks about her team's work in developing a digital tool, and how MS research is being threatened by drastic cuts in federal research funding 9:56 Dr. Anne Helme discusses how digital tools will boost patient-reported outcomes in MS research 16:26 Dr. Stefan Gold shares the positive results of his study involving an at-home digital intervention designed to treat depression among people with MS. 24:06 Share this episode 37:38 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 37:58 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 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 409 Guests: Dr. Tim Coetzee, Dr. Robert Fox, Dr. Jennifer Graves, Dr. Anne Helme, Dr. Stefan Gold
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Episode 408: Explaining Your MS to All Those Well-Meaning Family Members and Friends Who Get It Wrong with Kris Inman
06/23/2025
Episode 408: Explaining Your MS to All Those Well-Meaning Family Members and Friends Who Get It Wrong with Kris Inman
Have you experienced those familiar feelings of frustration when the people closest to you don't seem to get your MS? Do you find yourself explaining and re-explaining things to well-meaning friends, co-workers, and even family members? Kris Inman's wife, Mariah, was diagnosed with MS in 2020, and, since then, Kris has been Mariah's care partner and an active member of the MS community. This week, Kris joins me to talk about overcoming the challenge of helping your friends and family understand what an MS diagnosis means and what living with MS is really like. We're also sharing research results that show that someone's age at the time they experience the first symptoms of MS can determine whether they experience a better physical or mental health-related quality of life. We'll tell you about a report issued jointly by the MS Society in the UK and the Work Foundation at Lancaster University that details specific challenges people with MS face in the workplace. We'll give you the details about the National MS Society's Fast Forward investment in Neurogenesis, a biotech company developing a proprietary stem cell therapy designed to treat progressive MS. And we'll share news about the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS), a device that's used in combination with physical therapy to reduce walking problems for people with MS. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The frustration you might feel when some of the people closest to you don't really seem to get your MS. :22 Study results show that the age of MS onset can be predictive of physical and mental health-related quality of life 1:27 A report details challenges faced in the workplace by people living with MS in the UK 4:28 The MS Society's Fast Forward program has made an investment in Neurogenesis, a biotech company developing a proprietary cell therapy designed to treat progressive MS 8:00 Aetna Healthcare has become the third major private insurer to offer reimbursement for the PoNS device 11:00 Kris Inman discusses the finer points of being an MS care partner 14:17 Share this episode 29:13 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 Become an MS Activist Act Now! Contact Your Senators About Medicaid and Health Coverage STUDY: Age of Multiple Sclerosis Symptom Onset Affects Mental and Physical Health-Related Quality of Life in Opposite Directions REPORT: No Compromises: Supporting People with MS to Thrive In and Out of Work Neurogenesis The Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) https://ponstherapy.com 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 408 Guest: Kris Inman
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Episode 407: Overcoming Sleep Issues When You're Living with MS with Dr. Katie Siengsukon
06/16/2025
Episode 407: Overcoming Sleep Issues When You're Living with MS with Dr. Katie Siengsukon
Getting a good night's sleep is something that benefits everyone. And if you're someone who's living with MS, it's perhaps even more important. But research suggests that more than half the people living with MS experience poor sleep. Dr. Katie Siengsukon, the Director of the Sleep, Health, and Wellness Lab at the University of Kansas Medical Center Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, returns to the podcast to discuss the importance of good sleep hygiene, along with steps you can take to improve the quality of your sleep. We're also explaining how changes in U.S. public policy will impact people with MS. We'll tell you about an algorithm developed at Duke University that can predict (with 80-90% accuracy!) whether someone's MS symptoms will worsen in the weeks ahead. We'll share study results that show MS accelerates biological aging among children and teens with MS. We'll explain why this finding can also be applied to adults with MS, and what it means. And we'll tell you about the biotech start-up that has succeeded at bringing the brains of people who have passed away back to life, and we'll explain why that can have a major impact on CNS disease research. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Sleep Hygiene and MS :22 How public policy changes in the U.S. will impact people with MS 1:18 What if you knew when an MS symptom was going to worsen? 6:18 Study results show MS accelerates biological aging in children 9:04 How re-animated human brains could accelerate CNS research (And which company is doing it!) 12:00 Dr. Katie Siengsukon discusses the importance of good sleep hygiene for people living with MS 15:37 Share this episode 33:32 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 33:52 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 Act Now! Contact Your Senators About Medicaid and Health Coverage STUDY: Performance of Machine Learning Models for Predicting High-Severity Symptoms in Multiple Sclerosis STUDY: Epigenetic Aging in Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis Bexorg https://bexorg.com 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 407 Guest: Dr. Katie Siengsukon
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Episode 406: From the 2025 Consortium of MS Centers Annual Meeting: Part Two with Dr. John DeLuca, Dr. Brian Sandroff, and Kristine Werner Ozug
06/09/2025
Episode 406: From the 2025 Consortium of MS Centers Annual Meeting: Part Two with Dr. John DeLuca, Dr. Brian Sandroff, and Kristine Werner Ozug
Welcome to Part Two of our coverage of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers annual meeting! In this week's episode, Dr. John DeLuca shares research that has identified an effective behavioral treatment for MS-related fatigue. Dr. Brian Sandroff discusses how MS rehabilitation has evolved and then answers some of your questions about exercise and MS. And Kristine Werner Ozug, a member of the RealTalk MS team and someone who lives with MS, shares her perspective on the sessions and presentations she attended at CMSC. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Part 2 of our coverage from the 2025 Consortium of MS Centers Annual Meeting :22 Dr. John DeLuca shares his research, which has identified an effective behavioral treatment for MS-related fatigue 1:15 Dr. Brian Sandroff discusses how MS rehabilitation has evolved and answers some of your questions 8:34 Kristine Werner Ozug shares her perspective on the sessions and presentations she attended at CMSC 19:34 Share this episode 31:13 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 31:34 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 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 406 Guests: Dr. John DeLuca, Dr. Brian Sandroff, and Kristine Werner Ozug
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Episode 405: From the 2025 Consortium of MS Centers Annual Meeting -- Part One with Dr. Kathy Zackowski and Dr. Stephen Krieger
06/02/2025
Episode 405: From the 2025 Consortium of MS Centers Annual Meeting -- Part One with Dr. Kathy Zackowski and Dr. Stephen Krieger
Last week in Phoenix, Arizona, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) held its annual meeting, and we had a chance to talk with some of the top MS experts in the world. Welcome to Part One of our coverage! First, you'll hear Dr. Kathy Zackowski, the National MS Society's Associate Vice-President of Research, share her overview of the sessions and presentations that especially stood out to her. Then, you'll hear Dr. Stephen Krieger as he expands on one of the most interesting and provocative presentations at the conference. Dr. Krieger headed up a panel of experts that explained how the terms used to describe MS today (relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive, and primary progressive) are no longer adequate and then offered answers to the question, "If MS is one disease, what does that mean for clinical conversations?". We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: From the 2025 Consortium of MS Centers Annual Meeting :22 Dr. Kathy Zackowski shares an overview of the sessions and presentations that caught her eye 1:08 Dr. Stephen Krieger discusses seeing MS as one disease 17:11 Share this episode 31:58 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 32:18 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 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 405 Guests: Dr. Kathy Zackowski and Dr. Stephen Krieger
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Episode 404: World MS Day 2025 with Meredith O'Brien
05/26/2025
Episode 404: World MS Day 2025 with Meredith O'Brien
Every five minutes, someone somewhere in the world is diagnosed with MS. But getting that diagnosis can be challenging. And the evidence is clear that early intervention makes a difference. The sooner someone can begin a disease-modifying therapy, the better their outcome is going to be. World MS Day is May 30th, and this year, World MS Day is focused on eliminating the obstacles that get in the way of a timely and accurate diagnosis. I thought World MS Day would be the perfect time to invite Meredith O'Brien to join me to discuss her new book, Uncomfortably Numb 2: An Anthology for Newly-Diagnosed MS Patients. We'll also explain how the drastic cuts to Medicaid funding that were approved by the U.S. House of Representatives will affect hundreds of thousands of people with MS, and how the additional changes made to the Affordable Care Act will leave millions of Americans without health insurance. We're sharing the results of a study that may have identified how B-cells infected by the Epstein-Barr Virus migrate into the brain. And we'll explain why that could be the activity that triggers MS. We'll tell you about a study that makes the case for treating pediatric MS with Ocrevus. And we'll share the results of a study that discovered an association between inflammation-causing molecules and frailty among people with relapsing forms of MS. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: World MS Day :22 U.S. House of Representatives Vote to Gut Healthcare in America 2:29 Get involved! Become an MS Activist today! 3:38 A research team has demonstrated how EBV-infected B-cells migrate to the brain 4:28 Researchers demonstrate the efficacy of Ocrevus in treating pediatric MS 7:13 Researchers show an association between frailty and an inflammatory molecule 8:57 Meredith O'Brien discusses her new book, Uncomfortably Numb 2: An Anthology for Newly-Diagnosed MS Patients 11:05 Share this episode 24:51 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 25:12 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: World MS Day Uncomfortably Numb 2: An Anthology for Newly-Diagnosed MS Patients STUDY: Epstein-Barr Virus Induces Aberrant B Cell Migration and Diapedesis Via FAK-Dependent Chemotaxis Pathways STUDY: Ocrelizumab for Relapsing Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis STUDY: Association Between Frailty and Inflammatory Cytokines in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study 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 404 Guest: Meredith O'Brien
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Episode 403: Moving Toward a Biologically Based Description of MS with Dr. Bruce Bebo, Dr. Daniel Ontaneda, and Kathy Smith
05/19/2025
Episode 403: Moving Toward a Biologically Based Description of MS with Dr. Bruce Bebo, Dr. Daniel Ontaneda, and Kathy Smith
Last week, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis convened a meeting in Dublin, Ireland, to dive deeper into what a new framework for describing MS might look like. There's still a tremendous amount of work to be done here. But, considering that whatever language is eventually adopted will affect every person living with MS, I want to keep you fully informed on this important work. So I'm devoting this entire episode of the podcast to sharing conversations I had with three of the attendees at the meeting in Dublin. First, you'll hear from Dr. Bruce Bebo, the National MS Society's Executive Vice President of Research. Then, you'll hear from Dr. Daniel Ontaneda, a neurologist specializing in MS at the Cleveland Clinic, and, finally, you'll hear from Kathy Smith, who's lived with MS for the past 20 years. As you listen to these conversations, I think you'll hear three slightly different perspectives, but you'll also hear some of the broad concepts and ideas around which there was a high level of agreement at our meeting. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: A meeting to discuss moving to a biologically based description of MS :22 Dr. Bruce Bebo discusses how a new framework for describing MS could impact MS research and people living with MS 3:45 Dr. Daniel Ontaneda describes some of the shortcomings of the current MS course descriptors and discusses how a new framework for describing MS could impact people living with MS 17:34 Kathy Smith explains how current MS course descriptors fail to fully capture her experience as someone living with MS, and explains how new course descriptors could benefit people living with MS 26:24 What's next in the work to develop new course descriptors for MS 35:20 Share this episode 35:44 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app? 36:03 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 Episode 279: A New Framework for Researching, Diagnosing, and Treating MS with Professor Tanja Kuhlmann RealTalk MS Episode 280: How the Proposed Framework for Diagnosing and Treating MS Will Affect You with Dr. Tim Coetzee 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 403 Guests: Dr. Bruce Bebo, Dr. Daniel Ontaneda, Kathy Smith
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