The ECTRIMS Podcast

Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis have been linked for decades, but how strong is the evidence – and what does it mean for clinical practice? In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Prof. Eric Thouvenot from University Hospital of Nimes and Dr. Deborah Mason from Christchurch Hospital about the evolving science behind vitamin D and MS. Together, they explore: Why vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased MS risk The influence of latitude, sunlight exposure and genetics How vitamin D affects immune regulation and inflammation Findings from recent vitamin D supplementation trials As researchers continue to investigate vitamin D's role in MS, this episode provides a balanced look at what we know, what remains uncertain, and what it means for patient care.

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) has become one of the most intensely studied topics in multiple sclerosis research. But how strong is the evidence linking EBV to MS, and could targeting the virus change the future of treatment and prevention? In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Prof. Gavin Giovannoni and Prof. Tomas Olsson about the evolving science connecting infections, immunity and multiple sclerosis. Together, they explore: Molecular mimicry and how EBV proteins may trigger autoimmune responses Whether EBV contributes to chronic CNS inflammation and disease progression Emerging therapeutic approaches including antivirals, CAR-T cells, and vaccines This conversation examines one of the most important scientific questions in MS research and the therapeutic possibilities that may emerge from it.

On the final day of ECTRIMS 2025 in Barcelona, the spotlight turned to MS treatment, including long-awaited clinical trial results. Dr. Sharmilee Gnanapavan, Consultant Neurologist at Barts Health and Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (UK), joins host Brett Drummond to reflect on key takeaways from the 41st Congress and what the MS community might look forward to at MSToronto 2026.

The 41st Congress of ECTRIMS opened in Barcelona with Professor Maria Pia Amato of the University of Florence delivering the ECTRIMS Lecture. In this conversation with host Brett Drummond, she highlights the key takeaways from Day One of ECTRIMS 2025 and shares insights on cognition and what's shaping the future of multiple sclerosis research and care.

The 2024 Revisions of the McDonald Diagnostic Criteria for MS have been published in The Lancet Neurology. What do these changes mean for clinical practice? In this episode, we are joined by two authors of the paper: Prof. Xavier Montalban, Chair of the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in MS (IACCTMS), and Dr. Jiwon Oh of the University of Toronto. Together with host Brett Drummond of MStranslate, they discuss the significance of the updates, how these changes could expedite diagnosis and reduce misdiagnosis, and what they mean for the future of MS care globally. Reference: Montalban, X. et al. Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: 2024 revisions of the McDonald criteria. Lancet Neurol. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(25)00270-4 (2025).

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have become a critical tool for capturing the lived experience of multiple sclerosis (MS), offering a perspective that extends beyond traditional clinical and imaging metrics. As research increasingly prioritises real-world relevance and individualised care, PROs provide valuable insights into symptoms such as fatigue, mood changes, and cognitive decline—factors that often evade objective measurement but have a profound impact on quality of life. Professor Jan Hillert of Karolinska Institute in Sweden and chair of the Swedish MS Registry joins host Brett Drummond of MStranslate to discuss how patient reported data are being integrated into clinical trial design and observational studies. They also explore current limitations to their use and highlight best practices for validation and interpretation.

Over the past few years, the MS research community has been following developments in a new class of therapies called Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis). At ECTRIMS 2024, the results of two tolebrutinib trials were presented as late-breaking abstracts by Dr. Robert Fox, Neurologist at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Cleveland Clinic in the US, and Dr. Jiwon Oh, Neurologist at St. Michael's Hospital at the University of Toronto. The full results were recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine. In this episode, host Brett Drummond of MStranslate spoke with Drs. Oh and Fox about the outcomes and what they mean for people with MS.

Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) has gained considerable attention in recent years as a treatment option for multiple sclerosis (MS). As long-term clinical trial data on AHSCT continues to grow, there is increasing debate about where it fits in the current MS therapeutic landscape. Dr. Joachim Burman, Neurologist and Associate Professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, and Dr. Jennifer Massey, Neurologist at St. Vincent's Hospital and a Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales in Australia, discuss the latest research and insights on this hot topic with host Brett Drummond of MStranslate.