Gastroenterology

HBV Infection in Clinical Practice

This CME/CE activity has reached its termination date and no longer offers continuing education credit. Please note that expired CME activities may not contain the most up-to-date information available.

Click here to view our current activities in Gastroenterology.

Diagnosis of Hepatitis B

This Tx Reporter newsletter is Part 1 of a 9-part series, which represents Required Course 5 in the Advanced Certificate Program in the Management of Chronic Hepatitis B.

Dear Colleague,

One of the most common viruses worldwide, hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes acute and chronic hepatitis, as well as cirrhosis, and is responsible for the deaths of up to 1 million persons annually on a global basis. It is second only to tobacco in its carcinogenic potential, and causes up to 80% of all hepatocellular carcinomas. Clearly, our continued efforts are needed in recognizing, treating, and preventing hepatitis B.

Diagnosis of Hepatitis B is the first installment in the 9-part newsletter series HBV Infection in Clinical Practice, which represents Required Course 5 in the year-long educational curriculum Advanced Certificate Program in the Management of Chronic Hepatitis B. We begin this series with a look at the epidemiology and diagnosis of hepatitis B. Here you will learn more about why the prevalence and potential sequelae of hepatitis B warrant your attention, as well as the differences among the numerous available diagnostic assays, their most cost-effective use, and how to interpret the results appropriately. This issue will also help you to identify appropriate candidates for hepatitis B screening and vaccination, and serve as a springboard for discussion in the next installment in the series, which will cover evaluation of patients for treatment.

I thank you for your participation and hope that you find the newsletters and the rest of the program to be a timely source of cutting-edge information that you can immediately use in caring for your patients. As a reminder, you can still earn continuing education credit for this activity even if you are not enrolled in the Advanced Certificate Program in the Management of Chronic Hepatitis B.

Sincerely,

CHAIR
Robert G. Gish, MD Medical Director Liver Transplant Program Chief, Division of Hepatology and Complex GI California Pacific Medical Center San Francisco, California

Dr. Gish is Co-chair of the Advanced Certificate Program in the Management of Chronic Hepatitis B.

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TARGET AUDIENCE

This 9-part CME/CE activity is designed for gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and other clinicians who care for patients with hepatitis B infection or those at increased risk for acquiring the infection.

ACTIVITY GOAL

The goal of this 9-part CME/CE activity is to examine current and emerging strategies for diagnosing and treating patients infected with HBV.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Recognize the global burden associated with the great prevalence and potentially serious consequences of HBV
Identify and screen at-risk individuals and vaccinate appropriate candidates for immunization
Appropriately use and interpret HBV serologic tests for initial diagnosis

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CME INFORMATION

Statement of Accreditation

Projects In Knowledge is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation

Projects In Knowledge designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 Category 1 credit toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the activity.

This activity is planned and implemented as an independent CME activity in accordance with the ACCME Essential Areas and Policies.

Physician Assistants

This program has been reviewed and is approved for a maximum of .5^* hour of AAPA Category 1 (Preapproved) CME credit by the Physician Assistant Review Panel. Approval is valid for 1 year from the issue date of March 22, 2005. Participants may submit the self-assessment at any time during that period.

This program was planned in accordance with AAPA's CME Standards for Live Programs and for Commercial Support of Live Programs.

Successful completion of the self-assessment is required to earn Category 1 (Preapproved) CME credit.

CE Information

This activity has been approved by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) for .5^* contact hour. Provider #00012705.

^*Projects In Knowledge will count each newsletter as 1 full credit towards the certificate.

Contract for Mutual Responsibility in CME/CE
Projects In Knowledge has developed the contract to demonstrate our commitment to providing the highest quality professional education to clinicians, and to help clinicians set educational goals to challenge and enhance their learning experience.
For more information on the contract, click here.

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DISCLOSURE INFORMATION

The Disclosure Policy of Projects In Knowledge requires that presenters comply with the Standards for Commercial Support. All faculty are required to disclose any personal interest or relationship they or their spouse/partner have with the supporters of this activity or any commercial interest that is discussed in their presentation. Any discussions of unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices will also be disclosed in the course materials.

For complete prescribing information on the products discussed during this CME/CE activity, please see your current Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR).

Robert. G. Gish, MD, has disclosed affiliations with Bayer Pharmaceutical Corporation (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Entecavir Global Advisory Panel (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), Eximias Pharmaceutical Corporation (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), Gilead Sciences Inc (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), GlaxoSmithKline (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), Human Genome Sciences (consultant), InterMune Inc (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), Ortho Biotech Products, LP (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), Roche Pharmaceuticals (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), Schering-Plough Corporation (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), SciClone Pharmaceuticals (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), United Therapeutics (grant/research support), Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (grant/research support, consultant, speakers bureau, and honoraria), XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd (grant/research support).

Peer Reviewer has disclosed no significant relationships.

Projects In Knowledge's staff members have no significant relationships to disclose.

Conflicts of interest are thoroughly vetted by the Executive Committee of Projects In Knowledge. All conflicts are resolved prior to the beginning of the activity by the Trust In Knowledge peer review process.

The opinions expressed in this activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily reflect those of Projects In Knowledge.

This CME/CE activity is provided by Projects In Knowledge solely as an educational service. Specific patient care decisions are the responsibility of the clinician caring for the patient.

This independent CME/CE activity is supported by an educational grant from
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

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