Title: "Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on MS Care"

Presented by: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Release Date: September 7, 2022                                                                       
Expiration Date: September 7, 2023

Estimated time to complete this activity: 3 hours and 25 minutes. This activity has been approved for a maximum of 3.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Fees and Prerequisites: There are no fees or prerequisites.

Acknowledgement of Commercial Support: Supported by an independent educational grant from Biogen MA, Inc., Genentech, Inc., and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Target Audience

This activity is intended to meet the educational needs of healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients with multiple sclerosis.

Learning Objectives

 After participating in this activity, learners will demonstrate the ability to:

• Describe considerations for DMT initiation and continuation in patients depending on vaccination status and/or COVID-19 severity.
• Review individual and class characteristics of DMTs, specifically with focus on effects on the immune system, implications on vaccination, and risks during active SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• Apply the recommendations from various MS organizations and societies on the use of DMTs in patients with MS during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Presented by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Accreditation Statement

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation Statement 

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 3.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Other Credits

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

American Association of Nurse Practitioners National Certification Program accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

American Academy of PAs (AAPA) accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME. PAs may receive a maximum of 3.25 AAPA Category 1 Credit for completing this program.

Statement of Need

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been reservations regarding the risks of using immunosuppressive or immunomodulating agents to treat patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in case these treatments increase infectious disease risk or reduce vaccine efficacy. Many MS patients take disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) to prevent new symptoms such as muscle weakness, poor coordination, and/or impaired vision while mitigating disease progression. For many years, the treatment paradigm has been to “treat early and never stop,” but given the spread of COVID-19, this idea has become much less clear. MS treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic has been exceptionally challenging. Accordingly, healthcare providers have had reservations and concerns regarding deciding what are the safest and most effective treatment strategies taking into consideration all of the risks and potential complications when addressing both MS and the risk of COVID-19. Clinicians caring for patients with MS during this period of COVID-19 risk require educational programs to stay informed of the recommended best use of DMTs and to be aware of the latest guidelines for safely treating MS given the risk for COVID-19. This collaborative social learning platform establishes a network of providers who can support each other locally, as well as those from different communities, with the goal of learning and sharing best practices that will improve outcomes for patients with multiple sclerosis and COVID-19.

Johns Hopkins Faculty:

Shiv Saidha, MD
Professor of Neurology
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD

Policy on Speaker and Provider Disclosure

It is the policy of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine that the speaker and provider globally disclose conflicts of interest. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine OCME has established policies in place that will identify and resolve conflicts of interest prior to this educational activity. Detailed disclosure will be made prior to presentation of the education.

Johns Hopkins Statement of Responsibility

The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity.

Internet CME Policy

The Office of Continuing Medical Education (OCME) at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is committed to protecting the privacy of its members and customers. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine OCME maintains its Internet site as an information resource and service for physicians, other health professionals and the public. OCME at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine will keep your personal and credit information confidential when you participate in a CME Internet based program. Your information will never be given to anyone outside of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine CME program. CME collects only the information necessary to provide you with the services that you request. 

Copyright

All rights reserved - The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. No part of this program may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews.

Format and Method of Participation

Review this internet-based CME activity. To take the post-test, please click on the post-test button below the video window of the player which will take you to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine’s website. If you already have registered for other programs at this website, simply enter the requested information when prompted. Otherwise, complete the registration form to begin the testing process. The information you enter here will be used to generate your CME certificate. Please complete all fields to ensure accurate registration. Complete the post-test and evaluation and attest to the amount of time spent in the activity. Upon receiving a score of 70% or above, print your CME certificate.

Full Disclosure Policy Affecting CME Activities

As a provider approved by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Office of Continuing Medical Education (OCME) requires attested and signed global disclosure of the existence of all financial interests or relationships with commercial interest from any individual in a position to control the content of a CME activity sponsored by OCME. The following relationships have been reported for this activity:

Faculty

Shiv Saidha, MD – Consulting Fee: Biogen Idec, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Genentech, Inc. Novartis AG, TG therapeutics; Grant or research support: Biogen Idec, Genentech, Inc., MedDay Pharmaceuticals; Stocks or stock options, excluding diversified mutual funds: June Brain LLC

Note: Grants to investigators at The Johns Hopkins University are negotiated and administered by the institution which receives the grants, typically through the Office of Research Administration. Individual investigators who participate in the sponsored project(s) are not directly compensated by the sponsor, but may receive salary or other support from the institution to support their effort on the project(s).

Off-Label Discussion

There are no references to off-label/unapproved uses of products in this program.

Disclaimer

The opinions and recommendations expressed by faculty and other experts, whose input is included in this program are their own. This enduring material is produced for educational purposes only. Use of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine name implies review of educational format design and approach. Please review the complete prescribing information of specific drugs or combinations of drugs, including indications, contraindications, warnings and adverse effects before administering pharmacologic therapy to patients.

Privacy Statement/Internet Policy

The Office of Continuing Medical Education (CME) at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is committed to protecting the privacy of its members and customers. The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine CME maintains its Internet site as an information resource and service for physicians, other health professionals and the public. Continuing Medical Education at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine will keep your personal and credit information confidential when you participate in a CME Internet-based program. Your information will never be given to anyone outside of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine's CME program. Continuing Medical Education collects only the information necessary to provide you with the services that you request.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine fully complies with the legal requirements of the ADA and the rules and regulations thereof. Please notify us if you have any special needs.

Course Format – Method of Participation

This enduring material is expected to take approximately 3 hours and 25 minutes to complete. Once the activity is completed, you must pass the post-test and complete the evaluation with attestation to receive CME credit. 

POST-TEST
A post-test will be conducted at the conclusion of the activity. A grade of at least 70% within five attempts is needed to receive CME credit.

Confidentiality Disclaimer for CME Activity Participant

I certify that I am participating in this Johns Hopkins School of Medicine activity for CME-accredited training and/or educational purposes.

I understand that while I am participating in this capacity, I may be exposed to "protected health information," as that term is defined and used in Hopkins policies and in the federal HIPAA privacy regulations (the “Privacy Regulations”). Protected health information is information about a person's health or treatment that identifies the person.

I pledge and agree to use and disclose any of this protected health information only for the training and/or educational purposes of my visit and to keep the information confidential. I agree not to post or discuss this protected health information, including pictures and/or videos, on any social media site (eg, Facebook, Twitter, etc.), in any electronic messaging program or through any portable electronic device.

I understand that I may direct to the Johns Hopkins Privacy Officer any questions I have about my obligations under this Confidentiality Pledge or under any of the Hopkins policies and procedures and applicable laws and regulations related to confidentiality. The contact information is:  Johns Hopkins Privacy Officer, telephone: 410-614-9900,

e-mail: HIPAA@jhmi.edu.

“The Office of Continuing Medical Education at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, as sponsor of this activity, has relayed information with the CME attendees/participants and certify that the visitor is here for training, education and/or observation purposes only.”

For CME questions, please contact the CME Office 410-955-2959 or email cmenet@jhmi.edu.

For CME Certificates, please call (410) 502-9636.

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Office of Continuing Medical Education
720 Rutland Avenue/ Turner 20
Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2195
Reviewed & Approved by: General Counsel, Johns Hopkins Medicine (4/1/03)
(Updated 4/09 and 3/14)