Past Episodes

462
July 6, 2026

Episode 462: Taking Your MS to College? Understand Your Right to Accommodation with Britt Neff

The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that people living with disabilities receive reasonable accommodations at work. That law also applies to students attending most colleges and universities. And the ADA doesn't limit itself to physical disabilities. It's often applied to invisible disabilities, as well. This week, Britt Neff, the Access Specialist at the University of Washington School of Law, joins me to explain all the ways the accommodation process can work for college students livi...
Episode 462: Taking Your MS to College? Understand Your Right to Accommodation with Britt Neff
RealTalk MS
Episode 462: Taking Your MS to College? Understand Your Right to Accommodation with Britt Neff
461
June 29, 2026

Episode 461: A New Disease-Modifying Therapy Has Been Submitted for FDA Approval with Dr. Jiwon Oh

A short while ago, we shared very positive results from the Phase 3 clinical trials for fenebrutinib in both relapsing-remitting and primary progressive MS. Those results have been submitted to the FDA for approval. This week, Dr. Jiwon Oh, the principal investigator in one of the Phase 3 trials for fenebrutinib, walks us through these positive results and explains what makes fenebrutinib a different kind of disease-modifying therapy and who might benefit most from it. We're also talking about...
Episode 461: A New Disease-Modifying Therapy Has Been Submitted for FDA Approval with Dr. Jiwon Oh
RealTalk MS
Episode 461: A New Disease-Modifying Therapy Has Been Submitted for FDA Approval with Dr. Jiwon Oh
460
June 22, 2026

Episode 460: Running Ireland with MS with Matt Knaggs and Colin Goodman

Next week, Matt Knaggs and Colin Goodman will attempt to set a Guinness World Record for running the 350-mile length of Ireland with MS. This week, you'll meet Matt and Colin and learn why this undertaking is so important to each of them. We're also sharing survey results that point to gaps in how we approach MS care from the day of diagnosis. We'll tell you what it really means when you read that the prevalence of MS is increasing. It isn't bad news at all! We'll provide you with all the det...
Episode 460: Running Ireland with MS with Matt Knaggs and Colin Goodman
RealTalk MS
Episode 460: Running Ireland with MS with Matt Knaggs and Colin Goodman
459
June 15, 2026

Episode 459: This Is Not Your Father's MS Rehabilitation with Dr. Brian Sandroff, Dr. Brad Willingham, and Dr. Laura Rice

For years, the standard medical advice for someone diagnosed with multiple sclerosis was simple, cautious, and as we now know, incredibly limiting: "Take it easy. Don't overexert yourself. And get plenty of rest." Today, like almost every other aspect of MS care, neurological rehabilitation is being entirely rewritten. It's no longer about just managing decline; it's about leveraging emerging technologies to proactively build resilience, retrain the brain, and adopt cutting-edge exercise science...
Episode 459: This Is Not Your Father's MS Rehabilitation with Dr. Brian Sandroff, Dr. Brad Willingham, and Dr. Laura Rice
RealTalk MS
Episode 459: This Is Not Your Father's MS Rehabilitation with Dr. Brian Sandroff, Dr. Brad Willingham, and Dr. Laura Rice
458
June 8, 2026

Episode 458 -- From the 2026 CMSC Annual Meeting: Part Two with Dr. Stephen Krieger

This week, our coverage of the Consortium of MS Centers annual meeting continues with my guest, Dr. Stephen Krieger. In a wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Krieger offers a very encouraging clinical trial update, shares his thoughts on what treating someone living with advanced MS ought to look like, and points out potential obstacles to implementing the updated criteria for diagnosing MS. Dr. Krieger is a Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and a Mul...
Episode 458 -- From the 2026 CMSC Annual Meeting: Part Two with Dr. Stephen Krieger
RealTalk MS
Episode 458 -- From the 2026 CMSC Annual Meeting: Part Two with Dr. Stephen Krieger
457
June 1, 2026

Episode 457: From the 2026 CMSC Annual Meeting with Dr. Kathy Zackowski, Dr. Valerie Block, and Dr. Riley Bove

Last week, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, best known as CMSC, hosted its annual meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, where we had a chance to talk with some of the world's top MS experts. We'll be sharing those conversations over the next few episodes of the podcast. Welcome to Part One of our coverage of CMSC 2026! In what has become an annual tradition at this conference, Dr. Kathy Zackowski, the National MS Society's Associate Vice-President of Research, joins me to share her...
Episode 457: From the 2026 CMSC Annual Meeting with Dr. Kathy Zackowski, Dr. Valerie Block, and Dr. Riley Bove
RealTalk MS
Episode 457: From the 2026 CMSC Annual Meeting with Dr. Kathy Zackowski, Dr. Valerie Block, and Dr. Riley Bove
456
May 25, 2026

Episode 456:The First 100 Days Following Your MS Diagnosis with Dr. Nancy Sicotte

May 30th is World MS Day! This year, the theme for World MS Day is "My MS Diagnosis," and I've been thinking about what happens right after that diagnosis. After an individual hears, "You have MS." This week, Dr. Nancy Sicotte joins me to discuss the things you should know, the things you should be thinking about, and the things you should be doing in the first 100 days following an MS diagnosis. Dr. Sicotte is the Chair of Neurology and Director of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology at Ce...
Episode 456:The First 100 Days Following Your MS Diagnosis with Dr. Nancy Sicotte
RealTalk MS
Episode 456:The First 100 Days Following Your MS Diagnosis with Dr. Nancy Sicotte
455
May 18, 2026

Episode 455: MS and Your Oral Health with Dr. Ann Spolarich

When we talk about managing Multiple Sclerosis, our conversations naturally focus on things like disease-modifying therapies, mobility, MRI scans, and symptom management. But in this week's episode, we're shining a light on a critical aspect of MS wellness that doesn't get nearly enough attention: your oral health. Living with MS can introduce a whole host of unexpected challenges to maintaining a healthy mouth. And beyond preventing tooth decay and gum disease, emerging research suggests that ...
Episode 455: MS and Your Oral Health with Dr. Ann Spolarich
RealTalk MS
Episode 455: MS and Your Oral Health with Dr. Ann Spolarich
454
May 11, 2026

Episode 454: Managing MS-Related Depression with Dr. Anthony Feinstein

One out of every two people with MS will experience clinical depression at some point in their MS journey, making depression one of the most significant yet under-discussed aspects of living with MS. While the physical symptoms of MS often take center stage, the neuropsychiatric challenges can be just as impactful on an individual's overall quality of life and long-term outcomes. Joining us to shed some light on this important topic is Dr. Anthony Feinstein, a world-renowned neuropsychiatrist a...
Episode 454: Managing MS-Related Depression with Dr. Anthony Feinstein
RealTalk MS
Episode 454: Managing MS-Related Depression with Dr. Anthony Feinstein
453
May 4, 2026

Episode 453: MS and Pregnancy with Dr. Riley Bove

For decades, an MS diagnosis came with outdated advice and significant uncertainty regarding starting a family. Today, the conversation has shifted from "Is it possible?" to "How do we optimize the journey?" This week, we're taking a deep dive into the essential considerations for family planning, managing MS during pregnancy, and the crucial postpartum period. We're joined by Dr. Riley Bove, an Associate Professor of Neurology at UCSF and a leading expert in hormonal influences on MS. Dr. Bove...
Episode 453: MS and Pregnancy with Dr. Riley Bove
RealTalk MS
Episode 453: MS and Pregnancy with Dr. Riley Bove