Episode 150: The Cost of MS Medications, Drug Development, and More: My Conversation with Genentech CEO Alexander Hardy

Conversations about MS almost always get around to the high cost of MS disease-modifying therapies. Joining me on the podcast is the CEO of Genentech, Alexander Hardy. Genentech is a biotech company that many of you know as the manufacturer of Ocrevus, the first approved disease-modifying therapy that treats both relapsing-remitting MS and primary progressive MS.   During our wide-ranging conversation, Alexander and I get into the cost of MS prescription medications, the real costs of bringing a new drug to market, racial disparities in clinical trials, inequities in our healthcare system, and more. It's a conversation that you won't want to miss.     We'll also tell you where you can get a FREE copy of Dr. Brandon Beaber's book, Resilience in the Face of Multiple Sclerosis, and where to sign up for the next series of Virtual Jumpstart programs from CAN-DO MS. We'll even share the details about this Sunday's Longest Day of Golf,  a creative (and very successful!) DIY fundraising event for the National MS Society.   We're also talking about a newly published study that shows that most relapsing-remitting MS disability accumulation is progressive and not tied to relapses.   And we'll tell you about another study that shows that most people living with MS want to discuss the cost of their treatment with their neurologist, but very few do. We'll even share our thoughts about how we can begin to fix this.   We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! It's Our 150th Episode!  :22 Get in Touch with RealTalk MS  1:36 Get Your Free Copy of Resilience in the Face of Multiple Sclerosis    3:34 CAN-DO MS Virtual Jumpstart Programs  4:43 The Longest Day of Golf Fundraising Event for the National MS Society  5:38 Study Finds Most Relapsing-Remitting MS Disability Accumulation Is Progressive and Not Tied to Relapses   7:29 Survey Shows Most MS Patients Want to Discuss the Cost of MS Care...But Don't  9:50 "Patients" are Customers!  11:31 My Interview with Alexander Hardy  13:09 Share this episode  29:31 Please Support the National MS Society COVID-19 Response Fund  29:50 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email:  https://realtalkms.com/150 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]: (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 National MS Society's Ask An MS Expert Video Replay What You Need to Know About Coronavirus (COVID-19) National MS Society COVID-19 Response Fund To receive a free copy of Resilience in the Face of Multiple Sclerosis, just jump onto Twitter, and request your copy by sending a Tweet to the author, @Brandon_Beaber. CAN-DO MS Virtual Jumpstart Programs Longest Day of Golf Fundraising Event for the National MS Society STUDY: Contribution of Relapse-Independent Progression vs Relapse-Associated Worsening to Overall Confirmed Disability Accumulation in Typical Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis in a Pooled Analysis of 2 Randomized Clinical Trials STUDY: Perceptions and Experiences of Multiple Sclerosis Patients Regarding Out-of-Pocket Costs of Care Discussions Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Give RealTalk MS a Rating and Review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 150 Hosted By: Jon Strum Guests: Alexander Hardy Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, Genentech, Ocrevus, Resilience, RealTalkMS Privacy Policy