Participation in this iQ&A interactive Medical Intelligence Zone for Rheumatoid Arthritis is complimentary, and clinicians are invited to view this CME-certified program and/or share this invitation with other colleagues, departmental staff members, and healthcare professionals.
Grantor Support
Supported by an independent educational grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Accreditation Statement
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 University of Massachusetts Medical School, Office of CME and CMEducation Resources, LLC. The University of Massachusetts Medical School is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation Statement
The University of Massachusetts Medical School designates this educational activity for a maximum of 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Policy on Faculty & Provider Disclosure
It is the policy of the University of Massachusetts Medical School to ensure fair balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor in all activities. All faculty participating in CME activities sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Medical School are required to present evidence-based data, identify and reference off-label product use and disclose all relevant financial relationships with those supporting the activity or others whose products or services are discussed. Faculty disclosure will be provided in the activity materials.
Program Faculty and Disclosure
Michael H. Schiff, MD
Professor of Medicine
Rheumatology Division
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Denver, Colorado
Medical Director
Denver Arthritis Clinic Research Unit
Yusuf Yazici, MD New York University School of Medicine
Director, Seligman Center for Advanced Therapeutics
NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases
New York, NY
Speaking honoraria and/or consultation fees from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Genentech, Roche, and UCB
Mark C. Genovese, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Co-Chief, Division of Immunology and Rheumatology
Stanford University School of Medicine
Palo Alto, California
Research Support, Advisor or Consultant: Bristol-Myers Squibb. According to information
posted on the Stanford Hospital and Clinics web site, Dr. Genovese reports that he has
received fees of $5,000 or more per year as a paid consultant or speaker for the following
companies: Ardea, Horizon, Lilly, Rigel, and Synarc.
Theresa A. Lawrence Ford, MD
Rheumatologist
Lawrenceville, Georgia
Speaking fees: Lilly, Amgen, and Takeda.
Allan Gibofsky, MD, JD
Professor of Medicine and Public Health
Weill Medical College
Cornell University, New York, NY
Attending Rheumatologist
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, New York
Nothing to disclose.
Joel M. Kremer, MD
Pfaff Family Professor of Medicine, Director of Research
The Center for Rheumatology
Albany Medical Center
Albany, New York
Grant support and/or consultant fees: Abbott, Amgen Bristol-Myers Squibb,
Genentech, Roche and UCB.
Daniel Furst, MD
Professor of Rheumatology
Carl M. Pearson Chair of Rheumatology
Director of Interventional Therapeutics for RA
University of California
Los Angeles Medical Center for Health Sciences
Los Angeles, CA
Eric Ruderman, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Rheumatology
Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, Illinois
Consultant fees and/or research support: Amgen, Pfizer, Abbott, Biogen-Idec, and Centocor.
Speaking honoraria: Amgen, Pfizer and Biogen-Idec
Speaking honoraria and grant support: Abbott
Grant support: Centocor.
Yvonne Sherrer, MD
Medical Director and Director of Clinical Research
Center for Rheumatology, Immunology and Arthritis
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Speaker honoraria: Amgen
Speaker honoraria and financial support for clinical trials: Abbott, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Research funds and clinical trial support: Genentech
Research trial support: Centocor and Roche.
Educational Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants will:
Be better able to implement immune-based therapies in patients with RA, based on specific patient profiles and clinical characteristics
Achieve better clinical results in RA patients who have failed initial therapy, by analyzing alternative strategies within the class of immune-modulating agents
Learn about the clinical impact and treatment implications of new scientific advances of in the area of humoral and cell-mediated signaling systems on inflammation in RA
Be able to systematically manage patients who fail to respond to DMARDs or anti-TNF therapies, by understanding the efficacy and safety of other immune-modulating therapies
Be able to apply the results and evidence produced in pivotal trials for RA with to the front lines of patient care, with a better understanding of outcomes, efficacy, and safety issues with different therapeutic strategies
Be able to better sequence “classic” and biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and be better able to use them in combination with other agents to treat RA
Be able to better employ newer biologic DMARD therapeutic targets, in an evidence-based fashion, especially in patients who experience suboptimal clinical responses to interleukins and TNF therapies
Better understand the mechanisms and clinical effects of B- and T-cell immune modulators in RA, with a focus on mechanism of action (MOA), clinical effectiveness, and optimal integration of these immune modulators into the RA management matrix
Learn how to apply ACR and EULAR clinical practice guidelines for RA to the front lines of rheumatology specialty care
Learn how better monitor and manage safety-related issues in patients undergoing biologic therapy for RA
Be able to identify early in treatment course, those patients with a poor prognosis, high risk factors, or poor response to therapy; and, learn how to employ alternative strategies that might induce remission
Learn about and identify the therapeutic role of co-stimulatory modulators in RA therapy
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