Barry Byrne, MD, Ph.D.: Landscape of Awareness for Neuromuscular Disease

This year (2020), as has been the case for the last 7 decades, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) put on its annual telethon in hopes of increasing awareness for a number of neuromuscular diseases. Hosted by celebrity comedian Kevin Hart, the event showcased a number of high-profile guests in an attempt to bring these conditions to the forefront of the public’s mind, particularly in a year that has proved challenging for these patients.

Barry J. Byrne, MD, Ph.D., chief medical advisor of the MDA and associate chair of pediatrics and director at the University of Florida Powell Center for Rare Disease Research and Therapy, told NeurologyLive that the shift to a virtual event provided the organization the chance to take a new approach to reach a new audience and engage with the public. In this interview, Dr. Byrne offered an overview of the telethon and how these new virtual methods of communication changed the group’s approach.

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