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The annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology is underway in Chicago this week, and one of the highlights is the presentation of the John Dystel Prize for Research in Multiple Sclerosis, awarded jointly by the National MS Society and the American Academy of Neurology. This year's winner of the Dystel Prize is Dr. Ludwig Kappos, a physician-scientist at the University Hospital Basel in Basel, Switzerland, and the director of the Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel. Dr. Kappos has played a major role in how clinical trials in MS are conducted. He helped establish the Expanded Disability Status Scale, or EDSS, which is the gold standard for measuring disability in people with MS, and Dr. Kappos and his team have advanced our current understanding of a key driver of disability in MS, known as progression independent of relapse activity, or PIRA.  Dr. Kappos will be delivering the Dystel Prize lecture at the American Academy of Neurology meeting this week, and he's joining us to share a preview of that lecture in a conversation you won't want to miss. We're also sharing news about a blood test used to monitor MS disease activity that has just been approved by the European Union. We'll give you the details of a study focused on whether disease-modifying therapies can impact neurodevelopmental birth defects in children born to mothers with MS. We'll explain why yaks and Tibetan antelope may have opened a door to neuroprotection and myelin repair for people living with MS. And we'll tell you where healthcare providers and patients may differ when it comes to defining high-quality MS care. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research is awarded  :22 A blood test to monitor MS disease activity is approved by the EU  2:28 Researchers determine whether disease-modifying therapies have an impact on neurodevelopmental birth defects among children born to mothers with MS  4:21 Researchers studying yaks and Tibetan antelope may have uncovered a pathway to neuroprotection and even myelin repair  7:24 Healthcare providers and people living with MS share their perspectives on what needs improvement in delivering high-quality MS care  10:01 Dr. Ludwig Kappos reflects on how MS clinical trials need to change  13:33 Share this episode  30:58 Next week  31:19 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/451 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 at www.RealTalkMS.com STUDY: Association of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Congenital Anomalies with Prenatal Multiple Sclerosis Treatment: Real World Historial Cohort Study https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cpt.70235 STUDY: A Gain-of-Function Retstat Variant from High-Altitude Adaptation Promotes Myelination Via a Neuronal Dihydroretinoic Acid-RXR-Y Pathway https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(26)00013-9 ARTICLE: Areas for Improvement for High-Quality Multiple Sclerosis Care: Insights from Interviews with People with Multiple Sclerosis, Providers, and Clinical Educators https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1936657426000300 AbleNOW 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 X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 451 Guest: Dr. Ludwig Kappos Privacy Policy

An exercise program can be hard to start and even more difficult to stick with. But the evidence-based benefits speak for themselves. For people living with MS, it can mean improving quality of life without having to rely on a pill, injection, or infusion. And exercise is 100% affordable! Dr. Robert Motl, the Director of the Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory at the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago, joins me to discuss how exercise can improve MS-related brain fog, reduce fatigue, and perhaps even support myelin repair. We'll also share the results of a study that shows having mononucleosis is a significant risk factor for developing MS. And we'll tell you about a powerful imaging agent that can identify which immune cells are causing the inflammatory activity that drives MS, determine disease severity, and track the immune system's response to disease-modifying therapy. It's a potential game-changer in MS care. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Evidence-based benefits of exercise for people living with MS  :22 Study results show that having mono increases the chance that someone will develop MS  1:28 Researchers have created an imaging agent with the potential to be a game-changer in diagnosing and treating MS  4:29 Dr. Robert Motl explains how and why exercise can be medicine for people with MS  10:04 Share this episode  31:50 Next week  32:10 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/450 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 at www.RealTalkMS.com STUDY: Risk of Multiple Sclerosis Among Persons with Epstein-Barr Virus-Positive Mononucleosis https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WN9.0000000000000082 STUDY: A Radiolabeled Dendrimer Non-Invasively Identifies and Tracks Innate Immune Cell Activation in a Mouse Model of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-67907-x AbleNOW 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 X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 450 Guest: Dr. Robert Motl Privacy Policy

When you join the iConquer MS community, you're no longer just a patient; you become a research partner. Not just a data point in someone's study. You become the person to suggest the study, to help define the study, and to participate in sharing the outcome of the study. In this week's episode, I talk with the iConquer MS leadership team about what it means to be part of this people-powered research revolution and how iConquer MS keeps people affected by MS at the center of MS research. The National Institutes of Health has just published a Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research. We're sharing all the details. And a research team analyzed data from 20 global studies to determine whether anti-CD20 disease-modifying therapies (Ocrevus, Kesimpta, Briumvi) were cost-effective. We're sharing their somewhat surprising results. And a research team analyzed data from 20 global studies to determine whether anti-CD20 disease-modifying therapies (Ocrevus, Kesimpta, Briumvi) were cost-effective. We're sharing their somewhat surprising results. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: We're talking about people-powered MS research  :22 The NIH has published a Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research  1:15 Researchers determine whether anti-CD20 disease-modifying therapies (Ocrevus, Kesimpta, Briumvi) are cost-effective  6:05 Sara Loud, Stephanie Buxhoeveden, and Hollie Schmidt discuss what it means to put people affected by MS at the center of MS research  12:41 Share this episode  36:26 Next week  36:45 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/449 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 at www.RealTalkMS.com iConquer MS https://iconquerms.org National Institutes of Health Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/disabilityhealthresearch STUDY: Economic Value of Anti-CD20 Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review of Cost-Effectiveness Studies https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17562864261426816 AbleNOW 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 X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 449 Guests: Sara Loud, Stephanie Buxoeveden, and Hollie Schmidt Privacy Policy

Last week, about 170 MS activists from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. to participate in the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference. It's hard to come away from this event and not feel outraged by the stories that are shared, but also inspired by the resilience and bravery of the MS Activists who are willing to share some of the worst moments in their MS journey to make sure that our elected representatives in the House and Senate understand why the legislation we ask them to support is so vitally important.     I met so many truly amazing MS activists at this year's Public Policy Conference, and you'll meet some of them in this week's episode.   We're also sharing survey results that paint a disturbing picture of the human consequences that resulted from losing Congressional funding to support enhanced premium tax credits for ACA Marketplace Enrollees  The National MS Society has invested $2.3 million in 11 research projects focused on women's health issues and MS. We're sharing details of each new research initiative being funded. You'll learn about a clinical trial for a novel investigational therapy for MS and other autoimmune diseases. And we'll tell you about a study that you can participate in from home...and get compensated for your participation! We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: We're at the Public Policy Conference  :22 Survey results show the human consequences of losing Congressional funding to support enhanced premium tax credits for ACA Marketplace Enrollees  4:45 The National MS Society invests $2.3 million dollars in research projects focused on women's health issues and MS  7:23 The first healthy participant is dosed in the clinical trial for ICP-538  11:24  An opportunity to participate from home in a clinical trial (and there's compensation!)  12:41 MS Activists David, Cliff, and Michelle share their thoughts on attending the MS Society's Public Policy Conference  15:27 Share this episode  30:10 Next week  30:30 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/448 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 Support Jon at WALK MS https://realtalkms.com/walkms JOIN: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy LISTEN: RealTalk MS Episode 446 -- MS Advocacy and the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference with Steffany Stern https://realtalkms.com/446 SURVEY RESULTS: Cost Concerns and Coverage Changes: A Follow-Up Survey of ACA Marketplace Enrollees https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/a-follow-up-survey-of-aca-marketplace-enrollees PARTICIPATE: A Study to Determine How Well Different Fall Prevention Programs Work for People with Spinal Court Injury and Multiple Sclerosis Email for More Information: [email protected] 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 X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 448 Guests: David Silbaugh, Cliff Currie, and Michelle Constantine Hibbs Privacy Policy

In 1988, there were just 42 Walk MS events, raising approximately $4 million. In 2025, there were 170 events across the country that raised over $30 million. As the largest private funder of MS research in the world, the National MS Society relies on funds raised at events like Walk MS to continue supporting the work that brings us closer to cures.   This week, Brigitte Delaney, an amazing fundraiser and captain of the Many Sisters Walk MS team, shares her story, talks about the origin of the Many Sisters team, and offers her recipe for successful fundraising. We're also sharing study results that show adhering to the MIND diet slows brain aging (and we'll explain why that matters to someone living with MS) We'll tell you about NG01, a remyelinating cell therapy that just received an FDA designation that will accelerate its development. You'll learn about CoPilot Health, Microsoft's new AI health chatbot. And we're sharing study results that indicate people who receive their MS diagnosis over the age of 50 tend to experience a more severe MS disease course. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: It's WALK MS!  :22 Study results show that adherence to the MIND diet slows brain aging  1:24 The FDA grants a designation that accelerates development of a remyelinating cell therapy  4:42 Microsoft launches CoPilot Health, an AI health chatbot  7:17  Study results indicate that people who are diagnosed over the age of 50 often experience a more severe MS disease course  9:32 Brigitte Delaney introduces us to the Many Sisters WALK MS team  12:07 Share this episode  22:28 Next week  22:48 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/447 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 Support Jon at WALK MS https://realtalkms.com/walkms JOIN: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy STUDY: Adherence to the MIND Diet and Longitudinal Brain Structural Changes Over a Decade: Evidence from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/early/2026/3/11/jnnp-2025-336957 STUDY: Effect of Late-Onset on Multiple Sclerosis Phenotype and Outcome: Evidence from a Multi-National Registry https:/link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00415-026-13632-4 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 X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 447 Guests: Brigitte Delaney Privacy Policy

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: [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 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

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: [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 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

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: [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 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

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: [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 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

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: [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 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

Last week, over 1,400 scientists and clinicians gathered in San Diego, California, at the 2026 Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis annual meeting, better known as the ACTRIMS Forum.  This week, in Part One of our coverage, you'll hear from three of the experts who presented their research at the ACTRIMS Forum.   Dr. Manuel Friese, a clinician-scientist at the Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany, where he serves as the Director of the Center for Molecular Neurobiology, and the Director of the Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis, is this year's winner of the Barancik Prize for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis. I had an opportunity to talk with Dr. Friese about some of his truly remarkable research. Dr. Amit Bar-Or, the Director of the Centre for Neuroinflammation and Experimental Therapeutics (CNET) and Chief of the Division of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and related disorders at the University of Pennsylvania, presented encouraging results from two important clinical trials. Dr. Bar-Or and I discussed what those results might mean for people living with relapsing-remitting and primary progressive MS. Dr. Haritha Desu, a young investigator at the ACTRIMS Forum, presented her cutting-edge research on how immune cells interact with cells already resident in the brain to drive damage or potentially promote repair. I talked with Dr. Desu about how her work could be key to stopping MS progression independent of relapse activity.  We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The 2026 ACTRIMS Forum  :22 Barancik Prize winner Dr. Manuel Friese discusses his pioneering discoveries  1:34 Dr. Amit Bar-Or shares encouraging results from two important clinical trials  16:27 Dr. Haritha Desu discusses her research  25:27 Share this episode  32:23 Next week's episode  32:42 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/441 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 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 441 Guests: Dr. Manuel Friese, Dr. Amit Bar-Or, and Dr. Haritha Desu Privacy Policy

This past December, the FDA issued a Complete Response Letter to drug manufacturer Sanofi in response to Sanofi's application seeking approval for Tolebrutinib, the first in a new category of investigational disease-modifying therapies to undergo FDA review.    A Complete Response Letter is an official letter from the FDA to a drug manufacturer stating that the agency can't approve a new medicine in its current form. It's not an outright "no" that kills a project; it's more like a "not yet." However, this Complete Response Letter raised some issues which, at first glance, don't appear to be easily fixable. Sanofi has pointed out that the issues raised in the Complete Response Letter were markedly different from the guidance they received from the FDA over the course of this approval process. Sanofi has also indicated that it would work with the FDA to find a path forward for Tolebrutinib. Dr. William Conte, an MS Specialist and a principal investigator in the Phase 3 clinical trial for Tolebrutinib, has published an article responding to the FDA's Complete Response Letter. This week, Dr. Conte joins me to discuss the FDA's action and his response to that action.  We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: We're at the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum  :22 Check out the official ACTRIMS Forum Insider podcast!  :42 The FDA's Complete Response Letter about Tolebrutinib  1:09 Dr. William Conte responds to the FDA's Complete Response Letter  4:09 Share this episode  38:10 Next week's episode  38:30 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/440 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 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 440 Guests: Dr. William Conte Privacy Policy

The first coordinated global research strategy to prevent MS has been announced. This week, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the National MS Society's Executive Vice President and Chief Research & Medical Affairs Officer, joins me to explain what MS prevention looks like and how experts plan to achieve this remarkable goal. We'll also tell you who won the 2025 Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research, and we'll explain how their groundbreaking research impacts MS care. We're sharing the details of a newly announced partnership designed to reduce delays in getting an MS diagnosis and expand access to MS care in Wisconsin. We'll tell you how an international drug discovery network found that a drug already approved for another condition could also protect nerve cells and promote remyelination. And we'll share research that shows that AI can accurately predict whether someone newly diagnosed with MS will experience progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) in the three years following their diagnosis. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! I'm asking for your support:  :22 This Week: Preventing MS  1:47 Dr. Manuel Friese is the winner of the 2025 Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research  2:41 National MS Society announces a partnership to improve time to MS diagnosis and access to MS care in Wisconsin  6:26 An international drug discovery network identifies a drug that protects nerve cells and promotes remyelination  8:05 STUDY: AI accurately predicts progression independent of relapse activity in individuals who are newly diagnosed with MS  10:51 Dr. Bruce Bebo explains the strategy behind the global research initiative to prevent MS  14:48 Share this episode  31:31 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/439 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 Support Jon at WALK MS https://realtalkms.com/walkms RealTalk MS Episode 424: I'm a Participant in a Clinical Trial for CAR T-Cell Therapy for MS with Jan Janisch-Hanzlik https://realtalkms.com/424 STUDY: In Silico Screening and Preclinical Validation Identify Bavisant as a Therapeutic Candidate for Multiple Sclerosis https://science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.ads0633 STUDY: Machine Learning Analysis Applied to Prediction of Early Progression Independent of Relapse Activity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ene.70417 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 439 Guests: Dr. Bruce Bebo Privacy Policy

One of the more confusing aspects of MS is that it can present differently from one person to the next. A research team at University College London may have uncovered a reason for that when they identified two new, and quite different, subtypes of MS.    Joining me to walk us through this discovery and to explain how it may impact MS clinical care is the study's principal investigator, Dr. Arman Eshaghi. We're also sharing study results that may explain how the Epstein-Barr Virus triggers MS in some individuals. We'll tell you about the free online fitness and wellness programs for veterans living with MS offered by the Paralyzed Veterans of America. And we'll explain how the latest entrant in the AI for healthcare revolution can prepare you for your next appointment with your neurologist. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Discovering 2 new subtypes of MS  :22 Study results show how the Epstein-Barr Virus may trigger MS  1:20 The PVA is offering free online fitness and wellness classes for veterans with MS  5:45 Claude for Healthcare joins the AI in healthcare revolution  7:03 Dr. Arman Eshaghi discusses his team's discovery of 2 subtypes of MS  9:59 Share this episode  28:15 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/438 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 EBV Infection and HLA-DR15 Jointly Drive Multiple Sclerosis by Myelin Peptide Presentation https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)01495-3 STUDY: Combined Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Serum Analysis Reveals Distinct Multiple Sclerosis Types https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/148/12/4578/8321558 PVA Offers Free Online Fitness & Wellness Classes for Vets with MS https://pva.org/sports-recreation/online-programs Find out about ABLEnow Accounts https://ablenow.com Claude for Healthcare https://claude.com/solutions/healthcare 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 438 Guests: Dr. Arman Eshaghi Privacy Policy

I don't have to remind anyone who listens to this podcast that the cost of MS disease-modifying therapies is obscenely high. And we're not just talking about relatively new medications. Older medications -- some decades old -- continue to increase in price without any rational explanation for why or how.   On January 2nd, we lost a true warrior in the ongoing battle to lower the price of prescription drugs when David Mitchell, the founder of Patients for Affordable Drugs, passed away.   I met David in 2018 at a National MS Society Public Policy Conference, and he was a guest on Episode 31 of RealTalk MS.  This week, I'm re-sharing the conversation we had in 2018. We'll also tell you about an international workshop that represents the initial steps in developing a global research agenda to end MS. We're explaining how AI is about to have a major impact on healthcare. And we'll share the American Medical Association's brief to Congress, making the case for extending access to telehealth. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: We're remembering David Mitchell  :22 The first steps toward a global research agenda to prevent MS were just published  1:02 Doctor AI will see you now  5:45 The American Medical Association asks lawmakers to extend access to telehealth  10:27 David Mitchell in his own words  12:41 Share this episode  27:56 Next week  28:16 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/437 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 Patients for Affordable Drugs https://patientsforaffordabledrugs.org PAPER: Toward a Global Research Agenda for Preventing Multiple Sclerosis https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585251398381 AMA BRIEF: The Case for Permanent Telehealth Policy and Expanded Access to Virtual Care https://ama-assn.org/system/files/issue-brief-telehealth-policy-expanded-access-to-virtual-care.pdf ChatGPT Health https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-health 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 437 Guests: David Mitchell Privacy Policy