Past Episodes

In just two weeks, the National MS Society is hosting its annual Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. The centerpiece of that conference is our Day On The Hill when 300 MS Activists meet with our Congressional Representatives and Senators to discuss the legislative issues that are most important to people affected by MS. My guest is Bari Talente, the Executive Vice President of Advocacy for the National MS Society and we're talking all about this year's Public Policy Conference and the v...

My guest is Dr. Riley Bove, and we're talking about some of the things you might want to consider when you're thinking about getting pregnant, some important things to consider when you are pregnant, some things to discuss when you and your doctor are planning your delivery, and things to be aware of following your pregnancy. We're also talking about the results of two different studies that underscore the important relationship between the gut and MS. We'll give you a few different opportunit...

This past year, a bill was introduced in the California State Assembly that would create more transparency among pharmaceutical companies and make more lower-cost generic drugs available to Californians by making it easier for the California Attorney General to prosecute pharmaceutical companies for so-called "pay for delay" deals. MS Activists in California talked to our state legislators, asking them to support this bill, known as AB 824, and on January 1st, California Governor Gavin Newsom s...

Multiple studies show that early and ongoing treatment with disease-modifying therapy is the most effective way to slow MS progression, modify the course of the disease, and maintain optimal brain health. Yet, for many people living with MS, these life-changing treatments remain out of reach. The National MS Society has released the results of a new survey that demonstrates that this problem may be much larger and more serious than you may have imagined. My guests are Tim Coetzee, the Chief Adv...

Last week, the National MS Society convened the Pathways to Cures Think Tank. I think that we'll look back at this meeting as a historic moment when a flag was planted and intentions were declared. We've taken the first steps toward creating a global consensus for defining specific pathways to stop MS progression, restore lost function, and end MS. The Pathways to Cures Think Tank was an extraordinary event, and we're devoting this entire episode of RealTalk MS to hearing from some of the parti...

We're exploring the healing power of adventure. My guest is Brad Ludden, the founder of First Descents, a non-profit organization that, since 2001, has taken over 10,000 young adult oncology patients on more than 1,000 outdoor adventures that feature activities like rock-climbing, kayaking, and surfing. Last year, First Descents expanded their programming to include outdoor adventures designed for young adults living with MS. And every one of these adventures is offered at no cost to the partici...

Access to MS symptom self-management care is extremely limited. That's why my guest, Dr. Anna Kratz, and her colleagues created My MS Toolkit -- a web-based, self-guided symptom self-care program designed especially for people with MS. (And it's FREE!) We're talking with Dr. Kratz about how My MS Toolkit was developed and what makes it such a powerful online tool for people living with MS. We're also talking about the latest petitions filed with the Supreme Court in the battle over the Afforda...

MS Warriors are those special individuals whose efforts on behalf of people affected by MS go above and beyond the norm to raise awareness, raise funds, and raise our spirits My guest this week is Marc Boyer. Marc biked more than 4,000 miles, from one end of Canada to the other, raising over $160,000 for the MS Society of Canada. Marc not only raised money that will fund important MS research, his coast-to-coast ride also raised MS awareness throughout Canada. We're also taking a look back at t...

In this episode of RealTalk MS, we're re-visiting my conversation from ECTRIMS 2019 with Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice-President of Research at the National MS Society. This is one of my favorite conversations of the entire year, and you've made it this year's most downloaded and listened to RealTalk MS episode. We're also talking about a new report issued by RAND Europe, entitled Exploring the Societal Burden of Multiple Sclerosis: A Study Into the Non-Clinical Impact of the Disease, Incl...

Is MS preventable? Is progressive MS modifiable? We'll tackle these questions and more with my guest, Professor Gavin Giovannoni. Professor Giovannoni is not only a leading academic neurologist based at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University London, he's also a prolific blogger, tweeter, speaker, author, and opinion leader. It's a conversation you don't want to miss! We're also taking a look back at the major MS news stories of 2019. We're talking about new...