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

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/427

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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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025

STUDY: EQ-5D-5L In Multiple Sclerosis: Estimated Utility Values, Minimal (Clinically) Important Changes, and Direct and Indirect Influences Over Time https://valueinhealthjournal.com/article/S1098-3015(25)02486-6/fulltext

REGISTER: The Black MS Experience Summit https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/black-ms-experience

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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

RealTalk MS Episode 427 Guests: Dr. Lisa Doggett

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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

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/426

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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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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

REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA https://nmss.quorum.us/event/25463

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

STUDY: Myelin Injury Precedes Axonal Injury and Symptomatic Onset in Multiple Sclerosis https://nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04014-w

WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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

RealTalk MS Episode 426 Guests: Cassandra Ashby

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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

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/425

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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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA https://nmss.quorum.us/event/25463

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

LISTEN: RealTalk MS Ep 422: From ECTRIMS 2025 with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner Ozug https://realtalkms.com/422

WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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

RealTalk MS Episode 425 Guests: Dr. Bruce Bebo

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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

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/424

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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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA https://nmss.quorum.us/event/25463

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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

RealTalk MS Episode 424 Guest: Jan Janisch-Hanzlik

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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 SanofiStudies.com

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/ct2

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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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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

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/423

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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA https://nmss.quorum.us/event/25463

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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

RealTalk MS Episode 423 Guests: Professor Lars Fugger, Jason Tardio, Dr. Andreas Meuhler, and Dr. Robert Fox

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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

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/422

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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA https://nmss.quorum.us/event/25463

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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

RealTalk MS Episode 422 Guests: Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner Ozug

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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: https://realtalkms.com/421

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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA https://nmss.quorum.us/event/25463

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

LISTEN: RealTalk MS Episode 416: The Updated McDonald Diagnostic Criteria for MS with Dr. Andrew Solomonhttps://realtalkms.com/416

VIDEO: Dr. Robert Fox explains the results of the Phase 3 clinical trial for Tolebrutinib and Non-relapsing secondary progressive MS https://youtube.com/watch?v=tJQ93qdlXrU

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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

RealTalk MS Episode 421 Guests: Jan Bonville and NP Erin Wilkinson

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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 SanofiStudies.com

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/ct1

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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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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

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/420

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

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA https://nmss.quorum.us/event/25463

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

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 https://mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/16/2713

STUDY: Transient Gene Melting Governs the Timing of Oligodendrocyte Maturation https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009286742500861X

REVIEW: Copaxone, Glatopa (Glatiramer Acetate) FDA Drug Safety Communication https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/copaxone-glatopa-glatiramer-acetate-drug-safety-communication-fda-adds-boxed-warning-about-rare

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

DOWNLOAD: The RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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

RealTalk MS Episode 420 Guest: Julie Polisena

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