The Pituitary World News Podcast

S7E2: The Road to MYCAPSSA: A Conversation with Dr. Bill Ludlam

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.

S7E1: A pituitary patient’s experience with COVID-19

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.

S6E21: Telemedicine and COVID-19, insights from our survey

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.

S6E20: During these trying times, work continues, even at a faster pace, for new drugs and therapies for pituitary patients.

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."

S6E19: The things to take into consideration in interpreting pituitary lab results

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."  

S6E18: The biology of different pituitary tumors

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.

S6E17: Adapting to change

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.

S6E16: What is the World Alliance of Pituitary Organizations?

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.

 

S6E15: TBI: its effect on the pituitary and hormones

Today our subject is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and the effects they can have on the pituitary gland and endocrine system. Joining Dr. Blevins and I is Dr. Kevin Yuen, a world-renowned endocrinologist, and PWN contributor.

Many studies have shown that a high percentage of patients who suffer mild, moderate, or severe TBI's can have some form of pituitary dysfunction. Each year in the US, about 2.5 million children and adults, including professional athletes and war veterans suffer a TBI caused by either a blow to the head, penetrating head injury, or repeated jolts to the head, according to the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC). And more than 5.3 million Americans are currently living with a lifelong disability due to TBI.

S6E14: The amazing possibilities of facial recognition technology

Dr. Manel Puig Domingo, a leading endocrinologist in Barcelona, is doing important work on facial recognition and biometrics to see if this technology is useful in recognizing the early physical changes that occur in Acromegaly.   Could this be a game-changer in the early diagnosis of the disease?  We certainly hope so.

We have been fascinated by the possibilities of this technology.  Here’s our discussion with Dr. Puig (pronounced “Pooch” in Catalán), about his work and goals for this project