As the year draws to a close, we wanted to share some of the most compelling conversations we've had over the past 12 months. And rather than make my own picks, we went through the hundreds of emails we've received over the past year from the RealTalk MS listener community to see which topics really connected with you.

In this week's episode, you'll hear from four of the top MS experts in the world discussing the subjects you've told me are most important to you.

First, we'll explore aging and MS with Dr. John Corboy, the principal investigator of the largest study designed to answer the question, "Once I turn 60, can I discontinue my disease-modifying therapies?"

We'll talk about remyelination with the winner of the 2025 Barancik Prize for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis Research, Dr. Mikael Simons.

You'll hear our conversation with one of the world's top MS rehabilitation experts, Dr. John DeLuca, as we tackle one of the most disruptive MS symptoms -- fatigue.

And we'll wrap up this episode by talking with clinician-scientist Dr. Stephen Krieger about the confusion around trying to reconcile the idea of progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) with a diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Our most important conversations of 2025 :22

Dr. John Corboy discusses aging and MS 1:07

Dr. Mikael Simons discusses remyelination 10:54

Dr. John DeLuca discusses MS-related fatigue 19:20

Dr. Stephen Krieger discusses how the current course descriptors for MS (relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive, primary progressive) may no longer be working for doctors or patients 26:11

Share this episode 42:10

Next week's episode 42:30

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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

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

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 433 Guests: Dr. John Corboy, Dr. Mikael Simons, Dr. John DeLuca, Dr. Stephen Krieger

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This special episode of RealTalk MS is sponsored by EMD Serono and is only intended for a U.S. audience. EMD Serono is the healthcare business of Merck, KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in the United States and Canada. Please note this episode is only intended for a U.S. audience.

In this special episode of RealTalk MS, Professor Elisabeth Celius and Amanda Montague join me to explore new consensus recommendations for the future of MS care from MS in the 21st Century. We'll hear what experts and people in the MS community think are the priorities to focus on to improve care and help lessen the burden of living with MS.

Professor Elisabeth Celius is a consultant neurologist with a special focus on MS at Oslo University Hospital in Norway, where she is the group leader of the MS Research Group and also conducts epidemiological, genetic, and clinical research.

Amanda Montague is a global thought leader and Interim President & CEO of the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America.

Both Amanda and Elisabeth are active members of the MS in the 21st Century initiative, more commonly known as MS21. MS21 is a Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, initiative involving healthcare professionals, people with MS, and patient advocacy groups.

To learn more about MS in the 21st Century, please visit www.msinthe21stcentury.com.

Michael Jordan never won an NBA championship until he was paired with the right coach. Then, he won six. Could working with a coach change your MS journey?

In this week's episode, health & wellness coach Amy Behimer explains what health coaching is all about and how working with a coach might impact someone living with MS.

We're also sharing study results that show DMTs fail to manage MS-related pain. Then, we'll explain how a common misconception can lead to the wrong outcome for someone with MS.

And we'll share study results showing that adhering to the Mediterranean or MIND diet improves cognitive performance among people living with MS. We'll also explain why this study raises as many questions as it seeks to answer.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

Thank you! :22

This Week: What working with a health coach is all about 1:08

Study results show that disease-modifying therapies don't help manage MS-related pain (But are they supposed to???) 2:29

Study results show that adhering to the Mediterranean or MIND diet improves cognitive performance among people with MS (Or does it??) 5:13

Health & Wellness Coach Amy Behimer explains how someone living with MS could benefit from coaching 12:11

Share this episode 39:33

Next week's episode 39:53

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/432

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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

DONATE: The National MS Society https://nationalmssociety.org/donate

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

STUDY: Phase 2 Clinical Trial for Moderna's EBV Vaccine and MS https://www.msard-journal.com/article/S2211-0348(25)00573-5/fulltext

STUDY: Mediterranean and MIND Diet Patterns and Cognitive Performance in Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the UK Multiple Sclerosis Register https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/21/3326

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 432 Guests: Amy Behimer

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Welcome to a RealTalk MS special series on MS clinical trials. This special series is made possible through a generous grant from Sanofi.

In this final episode of this series, you'll meet Jan Janisch-Hanzlik. Jan lives with MS and is a participant in one of the clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy for MS.

In CAR-T cell therapy, blood is taken from the patient or a healthy donor, much as you would donate blood. This blood is sent to a lab, where the white blood cells, or T-cells, are separated out and reprogrammed to carry a receptor designed to fight a particular condition. This receptor is known as a chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR.

Over several weeks in the lab, these fortified T-cells multiply until there are millions of them, then they're reintroduced to the patient by intravenous infusion. CAR-T cell therapy is already used to treat some blood cancers, and Jan is the first person in the world to receive this one-and-done treatment to treat MS. She's joining us to share her experience participating in the clinical trial and to give us an update on how she's doing following her treatment.

This special episode of RealTalk MS is made possible by a generous grant from Sanofi. Sanofi has two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials in MS studying Frexalimab, an investigational second-generation anti-CD40 ligand monoclonal antibody. If you are interested in learning more about these clinical trials, please visit SanofiStudies.com

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

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Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

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At the age of 14, Michaela Janssen Pohl became a caregiver for her mother, who lives with MS.

I think most of us can agree that just being a teenager carries with it more than enough challenges. Those adolescent years are the years when just about everything in life starts changing. Imagine adding the responsibilities of being a caregiver to all the other things going on in a 14-year-old girl's life. Michaela joins me this week to explain how she found ways to survive and thrive in what can only be described as a challenging situation for any teenager.

We'll also explain why you might want to think a little differently about Giving Tuesday this year.

We're sharing all the details about the Phase 2 clinical trial focusing on Moderna's investigational Epstein-Barr vaccine and MS (and we'll explain why that might turn out to be important!)

We're talking about how MS impacts women's health issues with this year's winner of the Rachel Horne Prize for Women's Research in Multiple Sclerosis, Dr. Kristen Krysko.

And we're sharing the results of the Phase 2 clinical trial for PIPE-307, an investigational remyelination therapy.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

It's Giving Tuesday (and why that matters more this year than ever before) :22

This Week: Becoming a caregiver for a parent with MS when you're 14 years old 3:27

A clinical trial focused on an EBV vaccine and MS is recruiting participants 4:25

Dr. Kristen Krysko discusses MS and women's health issues 7:52

Results from the Phase 2 clinical trial for PIPE-307 remyelination therapy 13:48

Michaela Janssen Pohl shares her story of becoming a caregiver at the age of 14 16:55

Share this episode 33:20

Next week's episode 33:40

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/431

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

DONATE: The National MS Society https://nationalmssociety.org/donate

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

PARTICIPATE: Phase 2 Clinical Trial for Moderna's EBV Vaccine and MS https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06735248 Email: [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 Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 431 Guests: Dr. Kristen Krysko, Michaela Janssen Pohl

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Almost everyone with MS is aware of their sensitivity to heat. But cold weather presents a whole different set of challenges that we don't always think about. This week, I'm talking with Dr. James Stark about safely navigating cold-weather conditions when you're living with MS.

Dr. Stark is the Senior Attending Neurologist and Associate Medical Director at the International Multiple Sclerosis Management Practice. And he's sharing tips for staying safe and healthy when the temperature starts to drop.

The FDA has just approved a new generic DMT, and the first biosimilar for MS is hitting the market. We'll tell you about these new disease-modifying therapy options, and we'll bring you up to speed on what biosimilars are all about.

I ran into Dr. Robert Fox at ECTRIMS, the world's largest MS research conference. And, in a brief conversation, Dr. Fox provided a great overview of the MS research landscape. You won't want to miss this conversation!

If you missed the International Progressive MS Alliance's global webcast, Hidden Potential: How Existing Drugs Could Transform MS Treatment, you can still catch the video replay. We're sharing all the details.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: There's a lot to still be thankful for :22

Your opportunity to support the organization that supports you 2:03

What you need to know about the new generic and biosimilar disease-modifying therapies 9:24

The Cleveland Clinic's Dr. Robert Fox shares an overview of the MS research landscape 10:29

Catch the International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast video replay 22:41

Dr. James Stark shares tips for navigating winter weather when you're living with MS 23:27

Share this episode 35:14

Next week's episode 35:35

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/430

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

DONATE to the National MS Society https://nationalmssociety.org/donate

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

WATCH: International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast Replay https://youtube.com/watch?v=hWK-iVMiQ_I

LISTEN: RealTalk MS EP. 315: Understanding Generic and Biosimilar Drugs for MS with Dr. Jiwon Oh https://realtalkms.com/315

VISIT: Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs https://costplusdrugs.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 430 Guests: Dr. Robert Fox, Dr. James Stark

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Welcome to a RealTalk MS special series on MS clinical trials. This special series is made possible through a generous grant from Sanofi.

In today's episode, you'll meet two participants from the TEAMS Study, a research study at the University of Illinois Chicago's UI Health, in conjunction with the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Public Health.

TEAAMS is an acronym for Targeted Exercise for African-Americans with Multiple Sclerosis. And the study's research team analyzed the effects of a remotely delivered, racially tailored exercise training program among African Americans with MS living in low-income areas of the Southeastern United States, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. This is a part of the country that doesn't have many primary care or MS clinics that provide full exercise and rehabilitation services for patients with MS.

The TEAMMS study consists of two 16-week exercise programs, completed 3 days per week at home. One exercise program combines aerobic and resistance training, while the other focuses on stretching and flexibility. Study participants were randomly assigned to one of the two programs, and all of the materials to complete each program, like yoga mats, resistance bands, and training manuals, were provided. And every study participant receives a $90 gift card in compensation for completing the program.

The study's research team hypothesizes that completing the TEAAMS program would improve walking, reduce symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, depression, and pain, and enhance quality of life.

This special episode of RealTalk MS is made possible by a generous grant from Sanofi. Sanofi has two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials in MS studying Frexalimab, an investigational second-generation anti-CD40 ligand monoclonal antibody. If you are interested in learning more about these clinical trials, please visit SanofiStudies.com

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/ct3

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!

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Being a caregiver for a loved one with MS isn't an easy job. And, while it may consume hours of your time, often, it's not your only job. Many caregivers are the only family members bringing in an income. So, in addition to their caregiving responsibilities, they may also be facing the responsibilities that go along with holding down a full-time job.

This week, Diana Grazio joins me to discuss how she balances her roles and responsibilities as her partner's caregiver while holding down a full-time job.

You have online opportunities tomorrow! Participate in the National MS Society's Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit, or catch the International Progressive MS Alliance's global webcast, How Existing Drugs Could Transform MS Treatment. We have all the info for you to register for either or both!

If you purchase your health insurance through the ACA Healthcare Marketplace, you've probably already been notified that your premiums will skyrocket in 2026. MS Activist, Sarah Quezada, shares how those premium increases will affect her family.

Roche has announced the outcomes of Phase 3 clinical trials for Fenebrutinib and Relapsing MS, and Primary Progressive MS. It's positive news, and we have the details!

Could nanoparticles penetrate the blood-brain barrier and deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly to the central nervous system? University of Illinois researchers say yes! We're sharing the details.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: It's National Family Caregiver Month :22

The MS Care Partner Connection :34

The National MS Society is hosting the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit TOMORROW! 2:20

The International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast is TOMORROW! 2:51

Sarah Quezada shares how astronomical increases in ACA health insurance premiums will affect her family 3:46

Roche announces outcomes for Phase 3 clinical trials for Fenebrutinib and Relapsing MS, and Primary Progressive MS 11:59

Could nanoparticles penetrate the blood-brain barrier and deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly to the central nervous system? 13:43

Diana Grazio discusses how she manages her role as a caregiver while holding down a full-time job 16:07

Share this episode 29:10

Next week's episode 29:30

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/429

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

REGISTER: The Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/hispanic-latinx-ms-experience

REGISTER: International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast https://msif.org/news/2025/11/03/alliance-webcast

VISIT: The MS Care Partner Connection https://mscarepartnerconnection.com

STUDY: Nanoparticle-Boosted Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Therapy for Immune Reprogramming in Multiple Sclerosis https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ady4135

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 429 Guests: Sarah Quezada, Diana Grazio

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As researchers continue to learn about MS, it becomes clear that you can change the trajectory of your MS journey and improve your quality of life by making smart lifestyle choices. Quitting smoking and watching your alcohol and caffeine consumption are smart choices for everyone, and they can pay especially big dividends if you're living with MS.

This week, Dr. Barbara Giesser discusses how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine can impact your MS.

We're also sharing the details about the Black MS Experience Summit taking place on November 12th, and the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit taking place on November 19th.

We'll tell you about a study that revealed what may be a novel way of stimulating remyelination.

You'll meet Dr. Arman Eshaghi and hear about how artificial intelligence may impact your future MRI exam.

We'll share study results that show that carbohydrate consumption may increase the risk of an individual developing MS.

And we'll tell you about a study that looked at the connection between starting a disease-modifying therapy early and quality of life related to cognitive function and fatigue.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: What you need to know about how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine impact your MS :22

The Black MS Experience Summit is TOMORROW! 1:32

The National MS Society is hosting the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit on Nov 19th 2:33

Study results indicate the path to myelin repair may require subtraction, not addition 3:04

Dr. Arman Eshaghi discusses how AI may change how MRI scans are interpreted 5:12

Study results show a connection between carbohydrate intake and MS risk 15:10

Study results show how starting a DMT early impacts quality of life related to cognitive function and fatigue among people with MS 17:55

Dr. Barbara Giesser discusses how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine impact people living with MS 21:38

Share this episode 31:07

Next week's episode 31:27

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/428

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025

STUDY: Gt2fi-Encoded Transcription Factor Tfii-i Regulates Myelin Via Sox10 and Mbp Regulatory Elements https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63500-4

STUDY: Association Between Dietary Carbohydrate Intake and Multiple Sclerosis Risk: A Large-Scale Cohort Study https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1654538/full

STUDY: Self-Reported Quality of Life Related to Cognitive Function and Fatigue in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211034825005516

REGISTER: The Black MS Experience Summit https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/black-ms-experience

REGISTER: The Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/hispanic-latinx-ms-experience

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 428 Guests: Dr. Arman Eshaghi, Dr. Barbara Giesser

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When you're living with a chronic condition like MS, you want to be sure you're doing everything you can to preserve and promote good health. And, right now, you may be feeling confused about whether you should be getting vaccinated, and which vaccines are safe. It's understandable. Unfortunately, there's a lot of confusing information about vaccines and vaccinations floating around out there.

This week, Dr. Lisa Doggett helps us get past all the unnecessary noise and hysteria and reviews the science-based vaccine recommendations for people living with MS.

We're also talking about the historic meeting that took place last week between the FDA and people affected by MS.

We're sharing dramatic results from the largest study of its kind that measured the true impact of MS on quality of life.

And we're giving you all the details about the National MS Society's upcoming Black MS Experience Summit.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Reliable, science-based vaccine guidance for people living with MS :22

An historic meeting between the FDA and the MS community 1:17

The largest study of its kind shows the true impact of MS on quality of life 3:13

The National MS Society is hosting the Black MS Experience Summit on Nov 12th 4:40

Dr. Lisa Doggett covers everything you need to know about vaccines and MS 6:22

Share this episode 26:10

Next week's episode 26:30

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/427

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

PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025

STUDY: EQ-5D-5L In Multiple Sclerosis: Estimated Utility Values, Minimal (Clinically) Important Changes, and Direct and Indirect Influences Over Time https://valueinhealthjournal.com/article/S1098-3015(25)02486-6/fulltext

REGISTER: The Black MS Experience Summit https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/black-ms-experience

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 427 Guests: Dr. Lisa Doggett

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Some disease-modifying therapies can change the trajectory of your MS journey. But gaining access to those medications isn't always as easy or straightforward as it should be. In the United States, insurance companies are most often the gatekeepers to prescription medications.

This week, Cassandra Ashby shares a story that many of you may already be too familiar with, as she takes us through her family's long, hard, and confusing struggle to get the DMT that her newly-diagnosed daughter's neurologist prescribed. I

We're also talking about the game-changing results of a study that demonstrate MS-related damage to the brain occurs years before the very first symptom becomes apparent. And we're explaining why this opens the door to treatment that may stop MS symptoms from even developing.

We're giving you a heads-up about changes to the way health records for MS patients are being coded, and how these changes are already creating obstacles to accessing the disease-modifying therapy that you may have been taking for months or years.

And we're reminding you that you still have time to register to participate virtually in tomorrow's historic meeting between people with MS and the FDA

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: The sometimes overwhelming challenge of gaining access to the disease-modifying therapy that's been prescribed by your MS Specialist :22

Study results demonstrate MS-related brain damage occurs years before MS symptoms 1:22

What are ICD-10 codes, and why do the latest changes to these codes pose potential challenges for people living with MS? 5:52

You can participate virtually in tomorrow's meeting between people with MS and the FDA 9:23

Cassandra Ashby shares her family's long, hard, and confusing struggle with their insurance company 10:56

Share this episode 31:06

Next week's episode 31:26

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/426

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

REGISTER: Attend the virtual Shaping Tomorrow Together meeting with the FDA https://nmss.quorum.us/event/25463

SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy

STUDY: Myelin Injury Precedes Axonal Injury and Symptomatic Onset in Multiple Sclerosis https://nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04014-w

WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025

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 426 Guests: Cassandra Ashby

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