RealTalk MS

During his fellowship in the United States, Dr. Avinash Chandra trained to become an MS specialist at a world-class MS center. Then he returned home to Nepal and discovered that MS was largely considered non-existent. But Dr. Chandra knew it wasn't. 
In this week's episode, Dr. Chandra discusses his experience creating a framework for MS care in Nepal that hadn't existed before. He also explains the necessary trade-offs in providing costly medical treatment in a country where the average family of four lives on an income of $500 a month. 


It's been well-established that males living with MS tend to experience faster and more severe disease progression than females. We're sharing results of a study that shows clear differences in healthcare use by sex up to a decade before the onset of MS. 
We'll tell you about a newly published review of 30 years of data measuring the efficacy of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT).
And we're sharing the registration details for ECTRIMS Community Patient Day (it's a free live and online event you won't want to miss!)
We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: MS care in a country that considered MS non-existent  :22
A study analyzed sex differences in healthcare usage between males and females with MS up to a decade before the first MS symptom develops   1:45
30 years of accumulated data show significant benefits of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in treating relapsing forms of MS   6:17
It's time to support the National MS Society's $119.6 million active investment in MS research   9:32
Dr. Avniash Chandra discusses MS care in Nepal  12:43 
Share this episode  35:40
Next week  36:01

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS
Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/465
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 at www.RealTalkMS.com
STUDY: Sex Differences in Healthcare Use Before the First Multiple Sclerosis-Related Demyelinating Event
https://www.msard-journal.com/article/S2211-0348(26)00396-2/fulltext

PLAIN ENGLISH SUMMARY: Sex Differences in Healthcare Use Before the First Multiple Sclerosis-Related Demyelinating Event
https://tremlettsmsresearchexplained.wordpress.com/2026/07/22/sex-differences-in-healthcare-use-before-the-first-multiple-sclerosis-related-demyelinating-event-explained
LISTEN: Dr. Helen Tremlett Discusses the MS Prodrome
https://realtalkms.com/321

STUDY: Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Sclerosis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41482159
REGISTER: ECTRIMS Patient Community Day
https://ectrimspatientcommunity.eu
SUPPORT: National MS Society Research
https://nationalmssociety.org/research
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 465
Guest: Dr. Avinash Chandra
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If you've spent any time at all living with or caring for someone with multiple sclerosis, you know that medical textbooks and information-filled websites can give us facts, figures, and symptoms, but they rarely capture the sometimes messy, sometimes overwhelming, and sometimes darkly funny reality of what it actually feels like to get a diagnosis of MS and realize your life has suddenly shifted under your feet.
Our guest, Liat Shalom, was diagnosed with MS in 2021, at the age of 30. Instead of letting that diagnosis define her, Liat picked up her pen and created Unravelled—a groundbreaking graphic memoir that refuses to sugar-coat the MS experience.  


For about five years, we've known that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) triggers MS. We'll explain what biologists just discovered about how EBV triggers MS, and what that could mean for future treatments.
We're sharing evidence from an important study that shows a simple blood test is as accurate as MRI in determining whether someone is experiencing a relapse or a pseudo-relapse.
We're sharing details of a study showing that virtual reality (VR) therapy is effective in treating MS-related brain fog.
And if you're a woman between the ages of 45 and 60 and you're experiencing perimenopause, we'll share an easy way for you to participate in MS research without leaving home.
We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Unravalled, Liat Shalom's darkly humorous graphic novel about her MS journey  :22
Scientists discover how the Epstein-Barr virus triggers MS  1:53
A simple blood test can determine whether someone is experiencing a relapse or a pseudo-relapse  4:08
It's time to support the National MS Society's $119.6 million active investment in MS research   6:58
Virtual reality therapy can improve MS-related brain fog   9:16
An opportunity to participate in MS research for women between 45-60 who are experiencing perimenopause  11:41
Liat Shalom discusses her journey to an MS diagnosis that led her to create Unravalled, a darkly humorous graphic memoir  13:11 
Share this episode  30:32
Next week  30:52

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS
Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/464
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 at www.RealTalkMS.com
Unravelled: The Story of an MS Warrior by Liat Shalom
https://unraveledgraphicnovel.com

STUDY: CD4+ T-Cells Reactive to Epstein-Barr Virus Late Lytic Antigens are Enriched in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adz6566
STUDY: Utility of Multi-Analyte Protein Assay to Distinguish Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Relapse from Pseudoexacerbation
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40120-026-00984-2
STUDY: Effectiveness of Immersive and Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Interventions on Cognitive Function in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/12/4534
PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH: Perimenopause and Multiple Sclerosis
https://www.nationalmssociety.org/news-and-magazine/news/ms-study-alert-perimenopause-survey
STUDY: Effectiveness of Immersive and Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Interventions on Cognitive Function in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/12/4534
SUPPORT: National MS Society Research
https://nationalmssociety.org/research
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 464
Guest: Liat Shalom
Privacy Policy

Living with depression has been described as "like living under a wet, heavy blanket". It can stop someone from showing up at work, meeting up with friends, and even connecting with their family. 
One out of every two people living with MS will experience depression at some point in their MS journey. The METS for MS study is focused on a novel approach to treating major depressive disorder among people with MS -- one that doesn't require another infusion, injection, or pill.
This week, Dr. Robert Motl, principal investigator for the METS for MS study, joins us to explain what the study is about and what his team is learning.  And Kelly, who lives with progressive MS, joins us to share how her participation in the study became life-changing. 


We'll also tell you about the $500,000 donation to MS research that Fernando Mendoza and his family just made.
We're sharing the details about the CAR-NKT cell therapy for MS that's being developed at UCLA.
You'll learn about the novel nanoparticle therapy for MS that's being developed by a team at Syracuse University's BioInspired Institute.
And we're sharing the surprising results of a study that measured the effectiveness of Rituximab versus Ocrevus. 
We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: A study focusing on a novel approach to treating MS-related depression  :22
Fernando Mendoza and his family donate $500,000 to MS research  1:18
UCLA research team receives a $7.49 million dollar grant to develop CAR-NKT therapy for MS  2:22
Syracuse University research team receives NIH grant to develop novel nanoparticle therapy for MS   6:22
Study results: Rituximab and Ocrevus were compared head-to-head and the results are surprising   9:43
Dr. Robert Motl explains the Mood and Exercise Training Study for Multiple Sclerosis, and Kelly explains how her participation in the study turned out to be life-changing  14:22
Share this episode  35:43
Next week  36:03

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS
Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/463
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 at www.RealTalkMS.com
STUDY: Rituximab versus Ocrelizumab in Newly Diagnosed Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2600993
PARTICIPATE: Mood and Exercise Training Study for Multiple Sclerosis (METS for MS)
Email: METSforMS@uic.edu 
Phone Ariel: (312) 355-1790
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 463
Guest: Dr. Robert Motl, Kelly
Privacy Policy

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


We'll also tell you about PTD802, an oral remyelination therapy that's just been given a green light from the FDA to begin human clinical trials
We're sharing evidence from an important study that should make you feel more confident about getting those MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and chickenpox vaccines.
You'll learn what researchers at the Cleveland Clinic discovered when they asked the question, "Can someone living with MS over the age of 60 discontinue their disease-modifying therapy?"
And we're sharing the details about an AI application that can predict -- with 90% accuracy -- whether someone with MS is at risk of experiencing cognitive decline over the next few years. 
We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Understanding "reasonable accommodation" at college  :22
FDA approves oral remyelination therapy PTD802 for Phase 1 clinical trial  1:07
Study results: MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and chickenpox vaccines are shown to be safe for people with MS  4:52
Study results: Is it safe for someone living with MS over 60 to discontinue their DMT?   7:34
Study results: AI predicts future cognitive changes among people with MS with 90% accuracy   10:45
Britt Neff explains the many types of accommodation available to college students with MS  15:01
Share this episode  28:24
Next week  28:44

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS
Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/462
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 at www.RealTalkMS.com
Pheno Therapeutics
https://phenotherapeutics.com

STUDY: Live Attenuated MMR and Varicella Vaccinations and Multiple Sclerosis Activity
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2849165
STUDY: Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Over Age 60: Comparing Clinical and Radiological Outcomes in Disease-Modifying Therapy Continuers and Discontinuers
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20552173261448005
STUDY: Explainable Artificial Intelligence to Predict Neurocognitive Disorder Progression in Multiple Sclerosis Using MRI and Clinical Data
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ene.70568

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 462
Guest: Britt Neff
Privacy Policy

A short while ago, we shared very positive results from the Phase 3 clinical trials for fenebrutinib in both relapsing-remitting and primary progressive MS. Those results have been submitted to the FDA for approval.
This week, Dr. Jiwon Oh, the principal investigator in one of the Phase 3 trials for fenebrutinib, walks us through these positive results and explains what makes fenebrutinib a different kind of disease-modifying therapy and who might benefit most from it.  


We're also talking about the European approval of Cenrifki (Tolebrutinib) to treat nonrelapsing secondary progressive MS, and we'll share our perspective on why the FDA should have -- and should still -- approve this DMT in the U.S.
We'll tell you about two studies funded by the National MS Society that will focus on identifying links between menopause and MS.
We'll share some sobering news about healthcare affordability in America.
And we'll share some good news from the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, along with an opportunity for you to spend just 5 minutes doing some important advocacy work.
We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Fenebrutinib has been submitted to the FDA for approval  :22
Cenrifki (Tolebrutinib) approved in Europe for Nonrelapsing Secondary Progressive MS  1:09
National MS Society funds two studies to identify links between menopause and MS  4:19
Healthcare has become unaffordable for the majority of Americans  8:23
The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has approved $20 million in funding for the MS Research Program   11:57
Dr. Jiwon Oh explains why Fenebrutinib is a different kind of disease-modifying therapy, and who may benefit from it  15:36
Share this episode  32:22
Next week  32:43

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS
Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/461
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 at www.RealTalkMS.com
PHASE 3 CLINICAL TRIAL: Tolebrutinib in Nonrelapsing Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMoa2415988

VIDEO: Principal Investigator Dr. Robert Fox Discusses the Phase 3 clinical trial for Tolebrutinib in Nonrelapsing Secondary Progressive MS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJQ93qdlXrU
GALLUP POLL: U.S. Adults' Ability to Afford Healthcare at a Five-Year Low
https://news.gallup.com/poll/710942/adults-ability-afford-healthcare-five-year-low.aspx
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 461
Guest: Dr. Jiwon Oh
Privacy Policy