RealTalk MS

Episode 69: MS & Travel with Tarita Davenock, CEO of Travel For All

Artificial intelligence is about to change the entire healthcare landscape. And that might very well include how MS is diagnosed, treated, and managed. It's even beginning to change the way that MS research is being conducted. My guest is the founder and CEO of iQuity, Dr. Chase Spurlock. iQuity is using its expertise in machine learning to improve patient care, drive the creation of new therapies, and reduce the costs associated with managing chronic illness, including multiple sclerosis.

My guest is Dr. Larry Sherman, who plays a vital role on the front lines of MS research. We're talking with Dr. Sherman about some of his most significant research and his unique research lab. We're also talking about 2 important victories for MS Activists, new technology that enables people with MS to pilot their wheelchairs by flexing a couple of facial muscles, and the rehab technique that benefits Olympic athletes and people living with MS.

We're into the final few days of National Family Caregivers Month, and my guest on the podcast is Scott Williams, Vice President, Head of Global Patient Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships at EMD Serono. We're talking with Scott about EMD Serono's commitment to MS caregivers. We'll tell you about the FDA's new warning about stopping Gilenya. And we'll share news about 2 different clinical trials that are exploring 2 different cell therapies for treating progressive MS. We have a lot to talk about!

I've received some great questions from some of my listeners. And this week, Cherie Binns, an Internationally Certified MS Nurse and the co-chair of the iConquerMS Research committee, is joining me to answer listener questions. She's even going to share some of her tips for living well with MS!

Patient-centered research is based on an understanding that patients themselves have unique perspectives that can help to mold, change, and improve the work of finding answers to clinical questions.  My guest on the podcast is Laura Kolaczkowski, the co-Principal Investigator for iConquerMS. We're talking about the impact this people-powered research network is having on MS research, and how the first ever patient-driven MS drug development project came about.

Caregiving carries a lot of challenges, and for some people, it becomes overwhelming. So, what are the things that make being a caregiver for someone living with a chronic illness like MS so challenging? My guest is Dr. Amy Sullivan, Director of Behavioral Medicine, Research and Training at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at the Cleveland Clinic, and we're talking about how to best navigate some of the challenges that go along with being a caregiver for someone living with MS.

Cognitive dysfunction can profoundly affect people living with MS, yet it's frequently overlooked and left undertreated. The National MS Society convened a working group of world-class experts to explore how cognitive dysfunction was being assessed and to develop a set of guidelines designed to improve the process of screening and managing cognitive dysfunction in MS.  My guest is Dr. John DeLuca of the Kessler Foundation, and the co-author of the report that details these new guidelines.

We're launching the RealTalk MS Congressional Report Card! Every member of Congress has received a letter grade based upon what they did -- or didn't do -- to support people affected by MS. Check out your Representatives and Senators . Then, you'll be ready to vote! We're also talking with MS Activist Karen Jackson about access issues when it comes to voting. We'll tell you about a documentary film that features the many sides of living with MS, a predictor of brain atrophy in Progressive MS, and more!

We're talking about the effectiveness of a cannabidiol spray on MS spasticity. We'll tell you how environmental factors can impact MS, and we'll explain the two different environments you should be paying attention to. And you'll hear about the study that identified how neurofilament light chain levels can be used in clinical practice to identify which people living with relapsing remitting MS might be at greater risk of increased disease activity and progression.

It's the 3rd and final day at ECTRIMS in Berlin! Today, we're taking you to a special documentary screening that we've been keeping under wraps! We're talking about the amazing changes in almost every aspect of how we look at MS that have all taken place within just 25 years. We'll walk you through a couple of the scientific sessions that really stood out earlier today. And we'll tell you how you can find scientific victory in the midst of what some people might consider a setback.

Episode 58: Live from Day 2 of ECTRIMS 2018

Welcome to this special ECTRIMS edition of RealTalk MS. Today, we're talking about pharmaceutical company Novartis seeking approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for siponimod, a once-daily oral medication that significantly reduces disability progression for people living with secondary progressive MS. You'll also hear my conversation with the Chair of ECTRIMS 2018, Professor Reinhard Hohfeld. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS?!

We're talking about the first-of-its-kind patient-focused drug development collaboration between the Accelerated Cure Project for MS and EMD Serono. We'll tell you about the $12 million dollar commitment that the National MS Society just made to support 40 different MS research projects, the new assistive technology app from Google that will let you control your Android phone completely hands-free, and lots more! REMINDER: Download the RealTalk MS app & start receiving bonus content from #ECTRIMS2018!

Victoria Reese is the founder of the We Are Illmatic campaign. Earlier this year, I had an opportunity to talk with Victoria about the concept of inclusion in the MS community, and how the We Are Illmatic campaign is out to change the face of MS. We're also talking about a research review that reminds us how very bad smoking is for people living with MS, the results of a 10-year study in the U.K. about the cost-effectiveness and clinical effectiveness of 4 MS disease modifying therapies, and lots more!