Introduction
Published on
5CAST – the podcast
Knowledge that saves energy. Brief. Clear. Practical.
5CAST takes shape from my bed, from the perspective of a therapist and patient living with severe illness.
I want to give a voice to people affected by illness, their families, treating doctors, therapists and experts, bring their experiences to light, share knowledge and bring different perspectives together.
We present personal and clinical experiences, therapeutic approaches, findings from research and practice, innovations, social and health policy issues, and fresh ways of thinking about health and medicine in a concise format.
We discuss two or three topics at a time, with up to five minutes per segment, speaking clearly, critically and to the point.
The format is deliberately compact so that people with severe illness can take part and conserve their energy, and so that we can also reach people with limited capacity.
This podcast is in development.
Please bear with us if everything is not perfect at first. We are working to improve the content, sound and video step by step, aiming to get ever closer to perfection.
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Add the RSS address to your podcast app to get new episodes. The episodes are in German.
Episodes
Part 1
Monoclonal antibodies: Can they also treat chronic viral infections?
Published on
Monoclonal antibodies are highly specific immune proteins made using biotechnology. They recognise and bind to particular structures of a virus and can prevent it from infecting more cells. They can also help the body’s immune defences clear viruses.
During the coronavirus pandemic, such antibodies were used successfully to reduce severe COVID-19 outcomes in patients at high risk.
But why should this principle work only in acute infections?
Passive antibody therapy could also play an important role in chronic or recurrent viral infections, particularly in people with impaired immune function.
This is especially interesting for herpesviruses such as EBV, HSV and CMV. Targeted antibodies could limit further spread while the virus is actively multiplying and possibly reduce the burden on the immune system.
However, neutralising antibodies do not necessarily reach latently infected cells. Approaches to treating chronic EBV and HSV infections remain largely at the research stage.
The key research question is whether targeted virus neutralisation can ease the burden on the immune system enough to stabilise chronically disrupted immune, nervous system and metabolic processes.
It is a promising approach whose clinical benefit for chronic multisystem diseases has yet to be demonstrated.
What did the COVID-19 pandemic really change?
Published on · 5:25
Visit Helena Krenn’s practice website (German) ↗
To me, Helena Krenn is one of the true heroines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She runs a practice near Lake Chiemsee, founded Eleftheria.one e.V., co-founded the HealthXperts Academy and has organised numerous successful professional conferences.
A pioneer in post-COVID and Long COVID, she has an international network, contributes to scientific publications, professional committees and associations, and has volunteered for years to support many people affected and large patient communities.
In this special 5CAST, Helena answers three questions in five minutes:
- What has really changed since the pandemic in medicine, in society and in how people affected are treated?
- What was personally the hardest part of that time for you?
- What is the best thing we can take away from the pandemic?
5CAST – One voice. Five minutes. New perspectives.
5CAST – Sibylle Dahrendorf
Between joy in life, severe illness and hope for change
Sibylle Dahrendorf is a director and filmmaker whose work includes collaborations with Christoph Schlingensief. She has brought energy, ideas and joy to her creative work. To me she is also a friend who knows what it means to live with severe illness. I value her openness, humour and frankness.
1. What is it really like to live with severe chronic illness for so many years?
What thoughts, fears, hopes and feelings come with it? What might be hard for healthy people to understand?
2. What needs to change now to save the lives of people who are most severely affected?
Both answers in German (audio)
Disclaimer – 5CAST and other formats
The five-minute format intentionally offers only brief insights into complex topics. Contributions reflect each guest’s personal experiences, impressions and professional assessments and do not claim to be comprehensive in scientific evidence or content.
The content is intended solely to inform and help people form their own opinions. It does not provide individual recommendations, medical advice, diagnoses or treatment recommendations.
For health questions and decisions, always consult suitably qualified medical professionals.
Why 5CAST?
Many people lack the time or energy for long podcasts. Information is often complex, scattered or hard to access. 5CAST aims to gather what matters into short, clear units: understandable, honest and without a marketing filter. For orientation and practical ideas for everyday life.
Big topics. Small units.
Research & practice
Current findings, therapies and new approaches.
Personal insights
From bed, from life and from experience.
Health & quality of life
Treatment options, everyday strategies and recovery.
Society
Change, responsibility and health policy.
Innovations & ideas
New directions, inventions and opportunities.
Critical questions
Controversies, facts, myths and overlooked topics.
What does 5CAST stand for?
Real and authentic. Honest and direct. Critical and clear. Versatile: more than medicine. Practical knowledge that helps in everyday life.
Help create 5CAST
Potential conversation partners and professionals in video or audio editing are warmly invited to join in. Personal experience and new perspectives are welcome too.
Visit the contact page for information about contributing and the current availability of contact options.
Go to the contact page