If someone is being treated for MS, their neurologist is using the Expanded Disability Status Score, or EDSS, to indicate their level of disability. What if there were a better, easier, and more accurate way to measure mobility and evaluate disability? My guest today is Dr. Valerie Block, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Neurology at University of California San Francisco. As a physical therapist, Dr. Block is focused on MS rehabilitation. And we're talking about a just-published study that demonstrates that the way neurologists measure disability may not be providing a complete and accurate picture...and there may be a much better way to get that done. We're also talking about a new effort to eliminate the Affordable Care Act and strip away all of its protections for people living with MS and every other chronic illness -- and how the National MS Society and 25 other national patient organizations are fighting back by supporting new legislation designed to strengthen the ACA. We'll tell you about the TWO!!! MS prescription medications that just received FDA approval, and we'll even tell you about yet another MS prescription medication that's now awaiting FDA approval. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS?! ___________

RealTalk MS Reaches a Milestone :26

Join the RealTalk MS Conversation :48

Living with MS? Your Access to Healthcare is Under Attack ...Again! 2:53

Mavenclad Receives FDA Approval for Treating Relapsing-Remitting and Active Secondary Progressive MS 11:37

Siponimod Receives FDA Approval for Treating Relapsing-Remitting and Active Secondary Progressive MS 15:01

Celgene Submits Application for FDA Approval of Ozanimod for Treating Relapsing-Remitting MS 16:41

My Interview with Dr. Valerie Block 19:16

Download the Free RealTalk MS App 34:04

___________

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: [email protected]Phone: (310) 526-2283

___________

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS

Download the RealTalk MS App for Android

Give RealTalk MS a Rating & Review

26 Patient Groups Support Bill to Stabilize and Strengthen the Affordable Care Act FDA Approves New Oral Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis FDA Approves New Oral Drug to Treat Multiple Sclerosis

___________

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 84 Hosted By: Jon Strum Guest: Dr. Valerie Block

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, ProgressiveMS, Mavenclad, EMDSerono, Siponimod, Novartis, Celgene, RealTalkMS