Release Date: May 22, 2015
Expiration Date: May 22, 2016

Expected time to complete this activity as designed: 15 minutes
There are no fees for participating in or receiving credit for this online activity.

Program Overview

MDS, or myelodysplastic syndromes, is not a single disease, but rather a sometimes confusing collection of heterogeneous syndromes with great variability in terms of both morphologic classification and survival of patients. A number of different classification systems have been developed to support improved risk stratification and treatment tailored to disease prognosis. In this focused presentation, Dr. Azra Raza discusses the evolution of these various classification systems, and how they may be used in combination with prognostic scoring systems and molecular classification to support tailoring of therapeutic strategies for the individual patient with MDS and, ultimately, improved outcomes.

Target Audience

This activity is designed for physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants, and other health care professionals who have an interest in enhancing their clinical skills in the management of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Compare and contrast the primary classification systems that have been used in MDS, focusing on how MDS subtypes are currently defined by the Revised WHO Classification System of 2008
• Summarize the factors that must be considered when assessing risk in patients with MDS, and identify scoring systems used to assess risk in these patients

Agenda

The Many Faces of Myelodysplastic Syndromes – Azra Raza, MD

Instructions for Participation and Credit

This activity is eligible for credit through May 22, 2016. After this date, this activity will expire and no further credit will be awarded.

1. Read the target audience, learning objectives, and faculty disclosures.
2. You may be asked to complete a short pre-test before accessing the educational content. This must be completed in order to move forward in the activity.
3. Complete the educational content as designed.
4. Complete the post-test. To receive a certificate, you must receive a passing score of 70%.
5. Complete the activity evaluation survey to provide feedback and information useful for future programming.
6. Certificates for CME credit may be printed immediately after successfully completing the post-test and activity evaluation. Pharmacist credit will be uploaded to CPE Monitor 4 weeks following receipt of a completed, qualified form.

Faculty Biography

Azra Raza, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director, MDS Center
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, New York

Dr. Azra Raza completed her medical education in Pakistan, training in internal medicine at the University of Maryland, Franklin Square Hospital, and Georgetown/VA Medical Center in Washington, DC, followed by her fellowship in medical oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York. She is currently the director of the MDS Center at Columbia University in New York City.

Dr. Raza serves on numerous national and international panels as a reviewer, consultant, and advisor, and is well known internationally for several landmark observations related to the biology and treatment of MDS. She has published the results of her laboratory research and clinical trials in prestigious, peer-reviewed journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine, Nature, Blood, PloS Med, PloS One, Cancer, Cancer Research, British Journal of Hematology, Leukemia, and Leukemia Research.

During her career, Dr. Raza has established a highly productive translational myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) research program which includes a tissue repository containing more than 50,000 samples from MDS patients. She belongs to that rare group of investigators who are adept at both basic and clinical research. Her basic research is therapy-driven and is marked by her tireless efforts to move the advances in the laboratory to the bedside with alacrity for the improvement of treatment outcome of MDS patients.

Accreditation

CME CREDIT Accreditation Statement: MediCom Worldwide, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Designation Statement: MediCom Worldwide, Inc. designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CPE CREDIT MediCom Worldwide, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is acceptable for 0.25 contact hours of Continuing Education Credit. Universal Activity Number: 827-0000-15-035-H01-P. Knowledge-based CPE activity. In order for CPE Monitor to authenticate credit, pharmacists/technicians must provide their e-Profile ID number from NABP and date of birth (in MMDD format) when registering for a CPE program. Please make sure to provide this information in your Member Profile accessed through the Member Center on the home page of this site.

Disclosure

As an organization accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and California State Board of Registered Nursing, MediCom Worldwide, Inc. requires everyone who is a position to control the content of an educational activity to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. The ACCME defines “relevant financial relationships” as financial relationships in any amount, occurring within the past 12 months, including financial relationships of a spouse or life partner, that could create a conflict of interest. Accordingly, the following disclosures were made.

Faculty Disclosure

Dr. Azra Raza has received honoraria related to the development of educational materials from Novartis AG and speakers’ bureau activities from Genoptix–a Novartis Company.

Planning Committee Disclosures

The individuals listed below from MediCom Worldwide, Inc. reported the following for this activity: Joan Meyer, RN, MHA, executive director, and Eugene R. Tombler, PhD, FACME, medical director, oncology, have no relevant financial relationships.

Peer Reviewer Disclosure

In accordance with MediCom Worldwide, Inc. policy, all content is reviewed by external independent peer reviewers for balance, objectivity and commercial bias. The peer reviewers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Off-Label Disclosures/Investigational Disclosures

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings. Further, attendees/participants should appraise the information presented critically and are encouraged to consult appropriate resources for any product or device mentioned in this program.

Dr. Raza has indicated that she does not intend to discuss off-label uses of drugs, mechanical devices, biologics or diagnostics approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the US.

Dr. Raza has indicated that she does not intend to discuss investigational drugs, mechanical devices, biologics or diagnostics not approved by the FDA for use in the US.

Hardware/Software/Internet Requirements

MediCom Worldwide, Inc. requires Internet Explorer^® version 9.0 or higher, the latest version of Google Chrome, or the latest version of Safari, a computer running Windows^® Vista, Windows^® 7, or Mac OS X, 512MB of RAM or greater, 1.5 GHZ or faster processor, and a screen resolution of 1024x768 or higher. Certain educational activities may require additional software to view. These activities will be marked with the information and/or links to the required software. That software may include Adobe^® Flash^® Player, Adobe^® Acrobat^®, Windows Media^® Player, and/or Microsoft^® Silverlight™.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this activity, please contact MediCom Worldwide, Inc. at 1-800-408-4242 or email us at info@managingmds.com.

Provided by MediCom Worldwide, Inc.
This activity is supported by an educational grant from Celgene Corporation.

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