Shows
RealTalk MSThe ECTRIMS 2025 Deep Dive with Dr. Bruce BeboJust about a month ago, 9,600 researchers, clinicians, and representatives from patient advocacy organizations gathered in Barcelona for the European Committee on Treatment and Research in MS annual scientific congress, better known as ECTRIMS, the largest MS research conference in the world. Now that he's had an opportunity to review his notes and digest all of the science presented at ECTRIMS 2025, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Research, returns to the podcast to take us on a deep dive covering some of the most important research presented this year. We're...
2025-10-2133 min
RealTalk MSFrom ECTRIMS 2025 with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner OzugLast week, over 9600 MS researchers and clinicians gathered in Barcelona for the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis annual scientific congress -- ECTRIMS 2025. Minutes after the conference adjourned, in what has become an annual tradition, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice President of Research at the National MS Society, joined me to share his initial thoughts on the science presented at the meeting. Then, Kristine Werner Ozug, a member of the RealTalk MS team who lives with MS, joined me to share her perspective on three non-stop days of presentations...
2025-09-3023 min
RealTalk MSEpisode 403: Moving Toward a Biologically Based Description of MS with Dr. Bruce Bebo, Dr. Daniel Ontaneda, and Kathy SmithLast week, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis convened a meeting in Dublin, Ireland, to dive deeper into what a new framework for describing MS might look like. There's still a tremendous amount of work to be done here. But, considering that whatever language is eventually adopted will affect every person living with MS, I want to keep you fully informed on this important work. So I'm devoting this entire episode of the podcast to sharing conversations I had with three of the attendees at the meeting in Dublin.
2025-05-2037 min
RealTalk MSEpisode 383: Revisiting ECTRIMS 2024 with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Kristine Werner OzugOne of the most important MS research events every year is the annual European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS Scientific Congress, usually referred to by its acronym, ECTRIMS. You've made our podcast episode that followed ECTRIMS the most downloaded episode of the year. So, this week, I'm revisiting the two conversations that I had immediately after the ECTRIMS conference ended. In what has become an annual tradition, it's my privilege to sit down with the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Research, Dr. Bruce Bebo, just minutes after the conclusion of ECTRIMS to get his first...
2024-12-3128 min
RealTalk MSECTRIMS Research Roundup Part 2 with Dr. Bruce BeboNow that he's had a chance to digest all of the research presented at ECTRIMS, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the National MS Society's Executive Vice President of Research, is back to share the key research presented at the largest MS research conference in the world. This episode of RealTalk MS is the perfect follow-up to my initial conversation with Bruce, which occurred just minutes after ECTRIMS ended. (If you missed our conversation, you may want to check out Episode 369 of RealTalk MS.) We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!
2024-10-2227 min
RealTalk MSUnderstanding the Updated Pathways to Cures Research Roadmap with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Shawna GoldenIn 2020, the National MS Society convened the Pathways to Cures Think Tank. I shared news and interviews from what I considered a historic meeting back in Episode 125 of RealTalk MS. The information shared and the work generated by that Think Tank led to the Pathways to Cures Global Summit in 2023. In Episodes 297and 298 of RealTalk MS, I shared news and interviews from what I described as yet another historic meeting. The Pathways to Cures Research Roadmap has been updated, and I'm devoting this week's episode of RealTalk MS to my conversation with the...
2024-10-0131 min
RealTalk MSECTRIMS 2024 with Kristine Werner Ozug and Dr. Bruce BeboECTRIMS 2024, the largest MS research conference in the world concluded last week, and in this week's episode, we'll be hearing two slightly different perspectives on which news, announcements, and presentations stood out at this year's meeting. The ECTRIMS conference can feel almost overwhelming. You find yourself among 9 or 10 thousand other attendees, trying to determine which of the more than 1700 scientific presentations you want to learn more about. It's both a marathon and a sprint that seem to be taking place simultaneously. Kristine Werner Ozug is a member of the RealTalk MS team and a person...
2024-09-2430 min
RealTalk MSIt's Our 6th Anniversary! These Are the Most Impactful Conversations We've Had Over the Past Six YearsRealTalk MS is now 6 years old! We've covered a lot of ground in more than 300 episodes over the past 6 years. And I'm marking our 6-year anniversary by highlighting the most impactful conversations we've had in each of the past 6 years. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/317 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast...
2023-09-2619 min
RealTalk MSHealthcare Disparities Among Minority Populations with Dr. Lilyana AmezcuaWelcome to the 300th episode of RealTalk MS! Yikes! In last week's episode of the podcast, Dr. Bruce Bebo walked us through the latest research on the prevalence of MS in the United States, and the data serves as a clear reminder that anyone can get MS. However, not everyone with MS receives the same quality of care. My guest today is clinician-researcher Dr. Lilyana Amezcua, and we're discussing her work in exploring healthcare disparities among minority populations. In addition to celebrating our 300th episode, we're also celebrating World MS Day...
2023-05-3033 min
RealTalk MSUpdate on the Prevalence of MS in the United States with Dr. Bruce BeboEvidence shows that MS can affect members of minority communities differently. But how does that impact the total number of people who are living with MS? For multiple reasons, it's a tricky problem to solve. Yet, it's important that the numbers reflect everyone living with MS and no one is left behind. This week, the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Research, Dr. Bruce Bebo, is on hand to walk us through the just-published results of a study that provides a more granular estimate of the prevalence of MS in the United States, analyzing it...
2023-05-2335 min
RealTalk MSECTRIMS Research Update Part 2 with Dr. Bruce BeboSome of you might remember that at the end of October, I was in Amsterdam, attending the 2022 ECTRIMS Congress. ECTRIMS is an acronym for the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, and their annual scientific congress is the largest MS research conference in the world. As the conference ended, I sat on some steps outside the conference center alongside the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Research, Dr. Bruce Bebo. And Dr. Bebo shared his initial impressions of some of the research that had been presented over the 3-day conference. If you missed that episode of...
2022-12-1236 min
RealTalk MSFrom the 2022 ECTRIMS Congress with Dr. Bruce BeboLast week, over 7,000 MS researchers and clinicians from more than 100 countries traveled to Amsterdam to attend the 2022 ECTRIMS (European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) Congress, the largest MS research conference in the world. As has become an annual ECTRIMS tradition on RealTalk MS, the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Research, Dr. Bruce Bebo, and I took up our vantage point on the steps right outside of the convention center to discuss the research that captured Dr. Bebo's attention. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!
2022-10-3122 min
RealTalk MSThe Economic Burden of MS with Dr. Bruce Bebo and Bari TalenteLiving with MS is expensive. And if you're curious about how expensive living with MS is, why it's so expensive, and what can be done about it, then you're going to be interested in the results of a study that was commissioned by the National MS Society. Joining me to talk about what this study revealed and what it means to individuals and families affected by MS are Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice-President of Research at the National MS Society, and the MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Advocacy and Healthcare Access, Bari Talente.
2022-04-2630 min
RealTalk MSEvidence Shows EBV Triggers MS -- Understanding the Impact of This Breakthrough Research with Dr. Bruce BeboNow that Harvard researchers have presented compelling evidence that MS is triggered by the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), what does it mean in terms of ending MS in the world? What does it mean for people already living with MS? And how will this announcement impact MS research? Joining me to unpack the details and implications of this research breakthrough is the Executive Vice-President of Research for the National MS Society, Dr. Bruce Bebo. We're also talking about new research from Stanford University that shows how EBV triggers MS. We'll share the...
2022-02-0130 min
RealTalk MSRe-Visiting Our ECTRIMS 2021 Research Review with Dr. Bruce BeboToday, we're re-visiting my favorite conversation of the entire year and it seems that you and I agree! You've made it this year's most downloaded and listened-to episode. In this episode, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice-President of Research at the National MS Society, briefs us about some of the most interesting and important research shared at ECTRIMS 2021, the largest MS research conference in the world. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! Wishing you a happy and healthy new year! :22 ECTRIMS 2021 research...
2021-12-2835 min
RealTalk MSECTRIMS 2021 Research Wrap-Up with Dr. Bruce BeboJust a couple of weeks ago, 9,000 MS research scientists and clinicians from 100 countries gathered virtually for the annual meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, otherwise known as ECTRIMS. The largest MS research conference in the world lived up to its name, featuring 200 speakers and 1,700 research abstracts. In what has become an annual RealTalk MS tradition, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice President of Research at the National MS Society, joins us to share his thoughts about the research presented at ECTRIMS that will lead to treatments designed to stop...
2021-11-0134 min
RealTalk MSMSVirtual2020 Research Recap with Dr. Bruce BeboIn this episode of RealTalk MS, we're re-visiting my conversation with Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice-President of Research at the National MS Society, about some of the most interesting research announcements made during the MSVirtual2020 conference. This is one of my favorite conversations of the entire year, and you've made it this year's most downloaded and listened to RealTalk MS episode. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! Happy New Year! :23 My interview with Dr. Bruce Bebo :39 Share this episode 27:04
2020-12-2928 min
RealTalk MSMSVirtual2020 Research Wrap-Up with MS Society Executive VP of Research Dr. Bruce BeboThe ECTRIMS (European Committee for Treatment & Research in MS) meeting is the largest MS research conference in the world. This year, of course, the ECTRIMS conference was virtual, and so was my conversation with Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice President of Research at the National MS Society. Join us in this special episode of RealTalk MS as we take a deep dive into the research breakthroughs that will lead to treatments designed to stop MS progression, restore lost function, and end MS forever. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! SH...
2020-10-1329 min
RealTalk MSAn MS Research Update with Dr. Bruce BeboMS research has reached an important moment. My guest, Dr. Bruce Bebo, calls it "an inflection point." Dr. Bebo is the Executive Vice-President of Research for the National MS Society, and we're talking with Bruce about the MS research projects that have him most excited, why now is the time to write the final chapter in solving the riddle of MS, and how we might even go about preventing people from developing MS. We'll also give you all the details about the MS Society's newly published recommendations for exercise and physical activity for everyone living with MS...
2020-05-1932 min
RealTalk MSThe Pathways to Cures Think TankLast week, the National MS Society convened the Pathways to Cures Think Tank. I think that we'll look back at this meeting as a historic moment when a flag was planted and intentions were declared. We've taken the first steps toward creating a global consensus for defining specific pathways to stop MS progression, restore lost function, and end MS. The Pathways to Cures Think Tank was an extraordinary event, and we're devoting this entire episode of RealTalk MS to hearing from some of the participants and sharing the highlights of the meeting. This is the episode of RealTalk MS that...
2020-01-2138 min
RealTalk MSECTRIMS 2019 Research Recap With Dr. Bruce BeboIn this episode of RealTalk MS, we're re-visiting my conversation from ECTRIMS 2019 with Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice-President of Research at the National MS Society. This is one of my favorite conversations of the entire year, and you've made it this year's most downloaded and listened to RealTalk MS episode. We're also talking about a new report issued by RAND Europe, entitled Exploring the Societal Burden of Multiple Sclerosis: A Study Into the Non-Clinical Impact of the Disease, Including Changes with Progression. And if you have the RealTalk MS app installed on your iOS or Android s...
2019-12-2729 min
RealTalk MSBonus Episode: ECTRIMS 2019 Day ThreeWelcome to a special episode of RealTalk MS coming to you from Day Three of ECTRIMS 2019 in Stockholm, Sweden. This final day at ECTRIMS has become my favorite day of the conference because it's the day that I get to sit down with Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice President of Research at the National MS Society, and get his perspective on the highlights of the entire conference. We're talking about new Phase 3 clinical trial outcomes, research that shows that lifestyle choices can impact the course and severity of MS, the importance of beginning disease-modifying therapy within 5 years of being...
2019-09-1326 min
RealTalk MSAlmost One Million! The Prevalence of MS with National MS Society CEO Cyndi Zagieboylo, Dr. Bruce Bebo, & Dr. Ruth Ann MarrieIt's MS Awareness Week! And the single event that is likely going to have the most impact in raising awareness of MS in the United States is the recent announcement of the MS Prevalence Study results. The results of this study corrected the decades old notion that there were only about 400,000 people living with MS in the United States. We now know that the number of people living with MS in the U.S. is closer to one million. More than twice as many as had been previously estimated. In this special RealTalk MS episode, we're going to look at...
2019-03-1239 min
RealTalk MSECTRIMS 2018 Wrap-UpI'm back from Berlin, Germany, where I attended the 34th annual ECTRIMS Congress, and the single biggest challenge that I faced during the 3-day conference was trying to decide which sessions I wanted to attend. With 80 live presentations, more than 1,000 poster presentations, and any number of meetings and even casual conversations that seem to pop up everywhere, it's challenging trying to take it all in. Although ECTRIMS has ended, there's still a bit more to report from the conference, so please consider this podcast episode as the ECTRIMS wrap-up. We're talking about the effectiveness of a ...
2018-10-1623 min
RealTalk MSEpisode 58: Live from Day 2 of ECTRIMS 2018It's Day 2 at ECTRIMS in Berlin! Today, we're talking about the Shift.ms booth in the Exhibition Hall, where you can take part in a virtual reality demonstration of what it might be like to accomplish even the simplest tasks if you're living with MS. And if you've downloaded the RealTalk MS app from the Apple App Store for iOS or the Google Play Store for Android, I hope you enjoy the bonus video of the virtual reality demonstration that I shot on the Exhibition Hall floor. I wanted to get an expert's opinion about which ECTRIMS presentations w...
2018-10-1217 min
RealTalk MSIt's All About MS Research with Guest Dr. Bruce BeboThis week, RealTalk MS is all about MS research. We often hear about some of the important outcomes of MS research. New drugs, like Ocrevus, are introduced. New information, like the connection between gut bacteria and MS, is published. But how and where does an MS research project get its start? How does it get funded? How much multiple sclerosis research is actively taking place today? Jon's guest this week is Dr. Bruce Bebo, Executive Vice President of Research at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Since its inception, the National MS Society has invested more than $900 million dollars in MS re...
2017-10-1724 min