Release Date: Monday, September 16, 2013   
Expiration Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2014

The Influenza Burden
Vaccines provide an effective and important tool for disease prevention in children and adults. Yet, barriers to immunization have played a significant factor in limiting their use and effectiveness in preventing disease, such as influenza. Healthcare providers, including pediatricians, family physicians, community pharmacists and hospital clinicians offer an important service in administering recommended vaccines to their patients. However, they must not only be knowledgeable about vaccines, they must be aware of the latest advancements in vaccine development as well as any recent clinical data related to the influenza vaccine. Some of these recent developments include:

  • Potential changes to ACIP recommendations for children and adults (e.g., number of recommended doses in young children)
  • Availability of new vaccines, including quadrivalent influenza vaccines and cell-culture based vaccines
  • Latest evidence on vaccine effectiveness in children and adults

Recent developments in influenza vaccines can lead to broader coverage of viral strains and potentially improved effectiveness. Practicing healthcare providers must understand the latest advancements in vaccine development and educate their patients to promote its use. Clinicians must take an active role by educating their patients about the risks and consequences of influenza and taking proactive measures within their clinical practice to ensure vaccines are given when indicated. Through improved patient-provider communication, clinicians can help to overcome barriers to improve vaccination rates.

Activity Overview
This 4-episode Expert Interview Digest increases awareness and provides clear and concise answers to frequently asked questions about the latest developments in influenza vaccination. Each interview is comprised of series of questions focusing on a specific topic that is current and relevant to everyday clinical practice.

    

Educational Format
This Expert Interview Digest is divided into a series of four CME/CPE episodes:

Episode 1:
Update for the 2013-2014 Flu Season: Where do we stand today?
Episode 2:
How effective are influenza vaccines?
Episode 3:
What types of influenza vaccines are currently available?
Episode 4:
What is the impact of quadrivalent vaccines?

Target Audience
Prevention of influenza requires a collaborative approach involving various medical disciplines who provide health care for children and adults. This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of physicians, pharmacists, and allied healthcare professionals providing influenza vaccination for children and adults in the community and institutional setting.

Learning Objectives
Upon completing this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Describe current ACIP recommendations for influenza vaccination in children and adults (Episodes 1, 2, 3)
  • Differentiate the benefits and limitations of live attenuated influenza vaccine and inactivated virus vaccine (Episodes 2,3)
  • Evaluate the role and utility of newly-approved influenza vaccines for specific patient populations (Episodes 3,4)

FACULTY

Thomas M. File, Jr
MD, MS, MACP, FIDSA, FCCP
Chair, Infectious Disease Division
Summa Health System
Akron, OH
Professor, Internal Medicine
Master Teacher; Chair, Infectious Disease Section
Northeast Ohio Medical University
Rootstown, OH

Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA
Interim Dean
Associate Professor
McWhorter School of Pharmacy
Samford University
Birmingham, AL

 
 

Accreditation

Physicians
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of the Center for Independent Healthcare Education and Vemco MedEd, LLC. Center for Independent Healthcare Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation
Episode 1: Center for Independent Healthcare Education designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Episode 2: Center for Independent Healthcare Education designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Episode 3: Center for Independent Healthcare Education designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Episode 4: Center for Independent Healthcare Education designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

 

Physician Assistants
American Academy of Physician Assistants accepts certificates of credit for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ from organizations accredited by ACCME.

 

Credit Designation
Episode 1: Center for Independent Healthcare Education designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Episode 2: Center for Independent Healthcare Education designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Episode 3: Center for Independent Healthcare Education designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Episode 4: Center for Independent Healthcare Education designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Physician assistants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

 

Pharmacists
Center for Independent Healthcare Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider for continuing pharmacy education.

 

Credit Designation
Episode 1: Center for Independent Healthcare Education has assigned 0.5 contact hours (0.05 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credits for participating in this activity.
ACPE UAN:  0473-9999-13-012-H01-P
Activity type: Knowledge-based

Episode 2: Center for Independent Healthcare Education has assigned 0.5 contact hours (0.05 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credits for participating in this activity.
ACPE UAN:  0473-9999-13-013-H01-P
Activity type: Knowledge-based

Episode 3: Center for Independent Healthcare Education has assigned 0.5 contact hours (0.05 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credits for participating in this activity.
ACPE UAN:  0473-9999-13-014-H01-P
Activity type: Knowledge-based

Episode 4: Center for Independent Healthcare Education has assigned 0.5 contact hours (0.05 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credits for participating in this activity.
ACPE UAN:  0473-9999-13-015-H01-P
Activity type: Knowledge-based

For questions regarding the accreditation of this activity, please contact us at info@jointsponsor.com

 

Method of Participation
After clicking on Episode at the bottom of this page, you can participate:

  • directly online
  • through your SmartPhones and/or iPad

Instructions for Credit

  • Review the entire CME/CPE information including target audience, learning objectives, and disclosures.
  • Review the episode (credit available for each episode)
  • Complete the online Post Test, Evaluation, and Credit Application Form.
    Please note that to receive credit you must achieve a score of at least 75%.    
  • Physicians/Physician Assistants: Certificate of Credit will be emailed within 4 weeks of successful completion of the activity.
  • Pharmacists: The information that you participated will be uploaded to CPE Monitor and you will be able to access your credits from the profile you set up with NABP. For more information, please visit http://www.nabp.net/.
    

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest Policy
In accordance with policies set forth by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), Center for Independent Healthcare Education requires all faculty members and planning committee to disclose any relevant financial relationships with commercial interests during the past 12 months. A commercial interest is any entity producing, marketing, reselling or distributing health care goods or services consumed by or used on patients. Relationships with commercial interests and conflicts of interest resulting from those relationships must be revealed to the audience and resolved prior to the activity.

Relevant relationships include roles such as speaker, author, consultant, independent contractor (including research), employee, investor, advisory committee member, board member, review panelist, and investigator. If a potential speaker or author indicates a possible conflict of interest, the conflict will be resolved by choosing another speaker or author for that topical area, or the slides, handouts, and/or monograph will be reviewed and approved by a qualified commercially-disinterested peer.


Planning Committee Members
Thomas M. File, Jr., MD
Michael D. Hogue, PharmD
Paul DeLisle
Marco P. Cicero, PhD
Maja Drenovac, PharmD, CCMEP

Disclosure of Financial Interest Summary
Thomas M. File, Jr., MD (Faculty/Planner) has relevant financial relationships with commercial interests as follows:

  • Advisory Board: Astellas Pharma US, Bayer AG, Daiichi Sankyo, Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Durata, Forest Laboratories, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co., Pfizer, Tetraphase
  • Grant Recipient/Research Support: Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Gilead Sciences, Tibotec

Dr. File does not intend to discuss off-label uses of any products.

Michael D. Hogue (Faculty/Planner) has relevant financial relationships with commercial interests as follows:

  • Advisory Board: Pfizer

Dr. Hogue does not intend to discuss off-label uses of any products.

No other speakers, authors, planners or content reviewers have any relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Content review confirmed that the content was developed in a fair, balanced manner, free from commercial bias. Disclosure of a relationship is not intended to suggest or condone commercial bias in any presentation, but it is made to provide participants with information that might be of potential importance to their evaluation of a presentation.

Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this educational activity are those of the faculty and do not reflect the views of Center for Independent Healthcare Education (Center) and Vemco MedEd. This educational activity may discuss off-label and/or investigational uses and dosages for therapeutic products/procedures that have not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Center and Vemco MedEd do not recommend the use of any product/procedure outside of the labeled indications. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product/procedure discussed. Clinicians should verify all information and data before treating patients or employing any therapies described in this continuing education activity. Please refer to the prescribing information for each product/procedure for approved indication, contraindications, and warnings.

Fee
There is no fee to participate in this activity.

Hardware/Software Requirements
Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari or Google Chrome with the QuickTime Plug-in. Note: Please disable any "pop-up blocker" features.

Software/Hardware
Adobe® Reader version 7 or above to view PDF files (If you do not have Adobe® Reader, you can download it for free from Adobe.com)
Adobe Flash Player version 10 or above to view multimedia content (If you do
not have Adobe Flash Player, you can download it for free from Adobe.com)

Connection Speed
Cable, DSL, or better of at least 300 kbps

System Check
Please e-mail any questions or concerns to info@vemcomeded.com.

Copyright Statement
Copyright© 2013-2014 Vemco MedEd. All Rights Reserved. Permission for accreditation use granted to Center for Independent Healthcare Education.

Privacy Policy
http://www.vemcomeded.com/privacy.asp

 

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By clicking on Episode, I acknowledge that I have read the entire CME/CPE information

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