RealTalk MS

Episode 446: MS Advocacy and the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference with Steffany Stern

175 MS activists are heading to Washington, D.C. next week for the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference. Their mission: to bring the concerns of the MS community directly to lawmakers on Capitol Hill.  When it comes to the legislative support for healthcare and medical research, it's no secret that these are unusual times. Joining me to brief us on the National MS Society's ongoing advocacy efforts and give us a sneak peek at the specific legislative issues we'll be taking to Capitol Hill is the National MS Society's Vice President of Advocacy, Steffany Stern. We'll also share updated results from an important study that show the risk of developing MS if a close relative is living with the disease is significantly higher than researchers originally thought. And we'll give you all the details of a Phase 1 clinical trial that's focused on a novel approach to CAR-T cell therapy for MS. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Preparing for the MS Society's Public Policy Conference  :22 I'm asking for your support:  1:37 An update to a 2015 study shows close relatives of people living with MS are 100 times more likely than the general population to develop MS  2:15 A novel approach to CAR-T cell therapy for MS is recruiting for a Phase 1 clinical trial   4:26 Steffany Stern, the Vice President of Research at the National MS Society, shares a major advocacy win and previews next week's Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.  7:27 Share this episode  33:04 Next week  33:25 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/446 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: jon@realtalkms.com 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 Support Jon at WALK MS https://realtalkms.com/walkms JOIN: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy STUDY: A Prospective Study of Individuals at Risk of Multiple Sclerosis Informs the Design of Primary Prevention Studies https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acn3.70340 GEMS Study Recruitment https:/nationalmssociety.org/news-and-magazine/news/ms-study-alert-gems RealTalk MS Ep. 439: Preventing MS with Dr. Bruce Bebo https://realtalkms.com/439 PARTICIPATE: A Study to Assess the Safety and Clinical of Azer-cel in Participants with B-cell Mediated Autoimmune Disorders https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06680037/#contacts-and-locations 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 446 Guests: Steffany Stern Privacy Policy

Episode 445: It's MS Awareness Week with Kristine Werner Ozug and Kim, Kim, and Kim

It's MS Awareness Week, and this year we're diving into a theme that hits home for millions: Unseen MS. Multiple sclerosis is a master of disguise; it can be entirely invisible to the naked eye while remaining profoundly life-altering for the person living it. In this episode, we're exploring the spectrum of the MS experience through two distinct, yet deeply connected stories.  First, you'll hear from RealTalk MS team member Kristine Werner Ozug. Kristine shares what it's like to navigate a world that doesn't always see her struggle, and how her "mostly invisible" MS  symptoms still dictate the rhythm of her daily life. Then, you'll meet the two Kims (and a third). Kim W and Kim P, have been together for 16 years. They both live with MS—but in very different ways. While Kim P has navigated RRMS for 18 years with largely invisible symptoms, Kim W was diagnosed with PPMS just three years ago and faces much more visible physical challenges. Joining our conversation with Kim and Kim is Kim Fredsall, a physical therapist at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, who provides expert context on bridging the gap between diagnosis and daily management. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: It's MS Awareness Week  :22 Kristine Werner Ozug shares her story  1:24 Kim W. and Kim P. share their story 24:49 Share this episode  39:14 Next week  39:34 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/445 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: jon@realtalkms.com 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 Support Jon at WALK MS https://realtalkms.com/walkms 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 445 Guests: Kristine Werner Ozug, Kim P, Kim W, and Kim Fredsall Privacy Policy

Episode 444: Treating MS with a GLP-1 with Dr. Ellen Mowry

You know them by their trade names such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. This class of medications is known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. And while they are best known for managing diabetes and promoting weight loss, researchers are finding that these drugs are also effective in a broad range of other health conditions. So, what about MS? My guest this week is Dr. Ellen Mowry, the principal investigator of a clinical trial to determine whether a GLP-1 drug can reduce brain inflammation and provide neuroprotection in people living with progressive MS. We're sharing details about the discovery of a new biomarker that not only confirms an MS diagnosis but also predicts the severity of an individual's disease course in the years ahead. We'll tell you about three studies focused on better managing some of the most common MS symptoms and funded by the International Progressive MS Alliance. And we'll explain how Merck and the Mayo Clinic are partnering to build a first-of-its-kind drug discovery platform using AI. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: A GLP-1 for MS?  :22 I'm asking for your support:  1:31 Researchers discover biomarkers that can predict future disease course  2:13 The International Progressive MS Alliance invests $8.1 million in global studies that address the most common MS symptoms   5:44 Merck and the Mayo Clinic collaborate on AI-driven drug discovery platform  10:02 Dr. Ellen Mowry discusses the clinical trial to determine whether a GLP-1 drug can reduce inflammation in the central nervous system and offer neuroprotection to people with progressive MS  12:20 Share this episode  30:17 Next week  30:38 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/444 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: jon@realtalkms.com 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 Support Jon at WALK MS https://realtalkms.com/walkms STUDY: Large-Scale Proteomics Across Neurological Disorders Uncovers Biomarker Panel and Targets in Multiple Sclerosis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41747728 International Progressive MS Alliance https://progressivemsalliance.org 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 444 Guests: Dr. Ellen Mowry Privacy Policy

Episode 443: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum (Part 3) with Dr. Helen Tremlett, Dr. Ilana Katz Sand, and Kathy Smith

Welcome back to the third and final part of our coverage of the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. This week's episode bridges the gap between groundbreaking clinical research and the nuanced reality of living with MS every day. First, we'll dive into the "before" and "after" of a diagnosis, starting with Dr. Helen Tremlett's insights into the MS prodrome—those subtle, early signs that appear years before typical MS symptoms. We'll also talk with Dr. Tremlett about how other health conditions can predict long-term outcomes in sometimes surprising ways.   Dr. Ilana Katz Sand shares her latest research on the connection between diet, MRI findings, and clinical disability. Dr. Katz Sand also shares her list of foods you want to include and those you need to exclude when you choose the MIND diet. And Dr. Katz Sand explains the complementary roles of lifestyle choices and disease-modifying therapies in creating the most effective MS treatment plan. Finally, we ground these scientific advancements in the lived experience as Kathy Smith joins us to challenge the clinical labels we use to describe MS, questioning whether terms like "relapsing-remitting" or "secondary-progressive" truly capture the day-to-day reality of her two-decade journey with the disease. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum (Part 3)  :22 Dr. Helen Tremlett discusses the prodromal phase of MS, which comorbidities are predictive of better or worse patient outcomes, and the role of the environment in pediatric MS  1:19 Dr. Ilana Katz Sand shares her latest research on the impact of diet on MS  10:44 As someone who has lived with MS for two decades, Kathy Smith takes on the question of whether the current labels like 'relapsing-remitting' or 'secondary-progressive' actually describe what life is like on a day-to-day basis for someone living with MS  22:35 Share this episode  34:29 Next week's episode  34:49 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/443 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: jon@realtalkms.com 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 Support Jon at WALK MS https://realtalkms.com/walkms Find out about ABLEnow Accounts https://ablenow.com 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 443 Guests: Dr. Helen Tremlett, Dr. Ilana Katz Sand, and Kathy Smith Privacy Policy

Episode 442: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum (Part 2) with Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, Dr. Daniel Ontaneda, and Kristine Werner Ozug

Welcome back to Part Two of our coverage of the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. This week, we shift our focus to emerging therapies and clinical insights that are re-shaping the future of MS care. From the latest information on stem cell transplantation to evolving treatment strategies to the labels used to describe MS, we're breaking down the complex science into the conversations that matter most to the MS community.   Joining me to discuss one of the most significant presentations from the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum is Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, who opened the event with the Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture. Dr. Cohen's lecture, "AHSCT: Current Status and Remaining Questions," tackled a topic of massive interest to both clinicians and the MS community: Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (AHSCT). Often described as "resetting" the immune system, AHSCT is a complex and life-changing procedure that continues to evolve.  In our conversation, Dr. Cohen delves deeper into his lecture, discussing transplant efficacy, the best candidates for AHSCT, the optimal time to consider AHSCT, and how people living with MS may qualify to participate in a clinical trial comparing the benefits of AHSCT with those of high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies. Joining me for a deep dive into the future of MS care is Dr. Daniel Ontaneda. Our wide-ranging conversation explores the cutting edge of clinical practice and research, including the "early vs aggressive" treatment debate, how incorporating new imaging biomarkers will lead to faster, more reliable, and more accurate MS diagnoses, and whether the current disease classifications still serve the best interests of patient care.   While MS research conferences like the ACTRIMS Forum are never short on world-class expert opinions and groundbreaking data, one perspective is often missing from the room: the voice of someone living with the disease. That's why I was so glad to have Kristine Werner Ozug, a valued member of the RealTalk MS team, on the ground with me. As someone living with MS, Kristine brings a vital lens to these scientific sessions. After the final gavel fell, I sat down with her to get her "patient-first" perspective on the research that mattered most to her and what she's taking away from this year's Forum. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum (Part 2)  :22 Dr. Jeffrey Cohen takes us on a deep-dive into Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (AHSCT)  1:23 Dr. Daniel Ontaneda discusses the ways that today's MS research will impact tomorrow's MS care 10:44 Kristine Werner Ozug shares her "patient-first" perspective on the research that mattered most to her and what she's taking away from the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum  28:17 Share this episode  43:31 Next week's episode  43:54 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/442 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: jon@realtalkms.com 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 Support Jon at WALK MS https://realtalkms.com/walkms Find out about ABLEnow Accounts https://ablenow.com 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 442 Guests: Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, Dr. Daniel Ontaneda, and Kristine Werner Ozug Privacy Policy