Research Insights Episodes

With more than 9,000 MS researchers and clinicians in attendance, the 2023 combined ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS meeting in Milan was the largest MS research conference in the world. During the meeting, I had an opportunity to talk with some of the best and brightest minds in MS research and clinical practice. This is your invitation to listen in on my ECTRIMS EXTRA conversation with Dr. Anthony Feinstein. Dr. Feinstein is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and his expertise is in the ...

This week, we're sharing more from the 2023 joint ECTRIMS (European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) and ACTRIMS (Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) annual meeting. What if we could identify MS before anyone experienced any of the typical clinical symptoms? Would treating that person with a high-efficacy disease-modifying therapy prevent the clinical symptoms of MS from even developing? Those are the questions that make the study of t...

Last week, more than 9,000 MS research scientists and clinicians from more than 110 countries traveled to Milan to attend the largest MS research conference in the world, the 2023 joint ECTRIMS (European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) and ACTRIMS (Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) annual meeting. In keeping with a RealTalk MS tradition, just as the meeting was ending and the thousands of attendees were heading for the exits, I conn...

We've been using the same MS clinical course descriptors (relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive, and primary progressive) for almost three decades. As research has provided so much additional information and insight, is it time to update the way we describe, diagnose, and treat MS? The International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in Multiple Sclerosis has established a working group to explore this question. And, as a means of eliciting feedback from stakeholders around the world, a...

In this episode of RealTalk MS, we're talking about what you should be talking about with your neurologist or MS Specialist. Shared decision-making is a key component of patient-centered health care. It's a process in which clinicians and patients work together to make evidence-based decisions on tests, treatments, and care plans that balance risks and expected outcomes with patient preferences and values. But is shared decision-making actually occurring? Or are people living with MS still bein...

RealTalk MS is now 6 years old! We've covered a lot of ground in more than 300 episodes over the past 6 years. And I'm marking our 6-year anniversary by highlighting the most impactful conversations we've had in each of the past 6 years. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/317 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podc...

Just a couple of weeks ago, the FDA approved the first biosimilar medication for treating MS. As generics and now, biosimilars, become more available, it seems like the right time for us to get clear on the similarities and differences between generics, biosimilars, and the name-brand drugs that they mimic. Dr. Jiwon Oh joins me to explain everything you need to know to be an informed medical consumer when it comes to generic and biosimilar disease-modifying therapies. Dr. Oh is a neurologist, ...

Fire, flood, record-setting heat, tropical storm, earthquake -- we've seen it all in the past several weeks! Natural disasters can present a whole series of unique challenges for people affected by MS. Last year, I had an opportunity to talk about disaster preparedness for people affected by MS with Mary Casey-Lockyer, the Senior Medical Advisor to Disaster Operations at the American Red Cross. As extreme weather events become a more frequent and regular occurrence in our everyday weather patte...

Dr. Stephen Hauser's research as a physician-scientist has revolutionized our understanding of the genetics, immunology, and treatment of MS. It was Dr. Hauser's research that led to the development of a b-cell therapy for MS, which has been shown to be highly effective in treating all forms of MS and the only treatment approved for treating progressive MS. Dr. Hauser joins me this week, to discuss some of the pivotal moments in his remarkable career. Dr. Hauser's memoir, The Face Laughs While...

This special episode of RealTalk MS is sponsored by Sanofi. In this special episode of RealTalk MS, Dr. Aaron Boster walks us through everything you need to know about clinical trials. If you've ever wondered what the difference is between a Phase 1 clinical trial, a Phase 2 clinical trial, or a Phase 3 clinical trial, you're about to find out. If you're curious about how a clinical trial participant's privacy is protected, how safety is ensured, and how you can learn about clinical trials tha...