The Pituitary World News Podcast

At Pituitary World News we are committed, some would say obsessed, with the need to reduce the time it takes to diagnose pituitary disease. This podcast offers a candid discussion about this and many issues of importance to people dealing with pituitary disease. We caught up with Spanish endocrinologist Dr. Javier Salvador, professor at the Universidad de Navarra last year in Bilbao, Spain. This is our chat. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Today, a brief informal discussion of Cushing's disease issues from cases, articles, and experiences with his patients.

We recently had a chance to sit down with Chiasma Inc.’s Senior VP of Clinical Development & Medical Affairs, Dr. Bill Ludlam, to discuss his career and his work in rare diseases. Dr. Ludlam played an integral role in Chiasma’s acquisition of the first and only FDA approval for oral somatostatin analog (SSA) octreotide, called MYCAPSSA. We discussed the influences that drive Chiasma as an organization and Dr. Ludlam personally, as well as the processes that contributed to the development of MYCAPSSA. Don’t miss this engaging conversation.

A compelling, detailed account of a pituitary patient’s experience with COVID-19 everyone should listen.  As the virus takes hold in what is undoubtedly the worst phase of this pandemic, we urge you to follow all the guidelines provided by the health authorities:  wash your hands often, wear a mask when you are around other people, avoid crowds, and maintain the appropriate distance.

Not surprisingly, COVID-19 appears to have significantly impacted pituitary patients' access to healthcare.  Our brief survey elicited information from respondents on their experiences and attitudes towards obtaining healthcare via telemedicine.  Dr. Blevins shares the findings in this enlightening podcast.

From the J D Faccinetti, co-founder - We recently caught up with Crinetics Pharmaceuticals chairman Dr. Scott Struthers to discuss the latest on their new drugs currently under development. We wondered how this critically important work for pituitary patients was affected by the pandemic. Dr. Struthers gives us an "insider's view" of their work and an update on the progress in the development of these new medications for acromegaly, neuroendocrine tumors, congenital hyperinsulinism, Cushing's disease, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and more. Don't miss this fascinating discussion.

Click here to learn more about how you may be able to participate. For more in-depth information on this subject, listen to our podcasts series on new drug development, "The Journey to a New Drug."

In this eye-opening podcast, Dr. Lewis Blevins takes an in-depth look at the science of interpreting pituitary lab results and shares some of the things physicians think about when viewing results. Here's an excerpt of his talk:

" There are lots of caveats that come into play when interpreting these results and making treatment decisions. Many of these caveats are not well understood by even seasoned general physicians and they are rather difficult.  You, most likely, will not find these answers on the internet, so hopefully, this podcast will help you understand your test results, and have more appropriate and meaningful conversations with your physician at the time of the visit."  

A fascinating discussion of two patients with residual pituitary tumors and their unpredictable differences; one stable for nine years after surgery; the other one grows back in five months bigger than the original.

From Lewis S Blevins Jr. M.D. - Co-founder - Our "Musings" series begins with reflections and thoughts on Telemedicine.  This subject is front and center in many people's minds mostly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this podcast, Dr. Blevins muses about telemedicine, how his practice has adapted, his views on pros and cons, and how things may change in the future.

With the upcoming WAPO Summit slated for this October 3, we thought we'd give our audience around the world more information about the Summit and the organization itself.  This podcast will give you a rundown on WAPO's mission, how it came to being, and plans for the future.  And if you haven't done so yet, you can register to participate in the global summit here.  To register in Spanish click here.