REGISTRATION IS FULL! Unfortunately, we are NOT able to accept additional registrations or walk-ins at this time.

Jointly provided by Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and Integritas Communications

This activity is supported by independent educational grants from Gilead Sciences, Inc., Merck & Co.,Inc., and AbbVie Inc.

In collaboration with:

• American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM)
• American Liver Foundation (ALF)
• National Hepatitis Corrections Network (NHCN)

Target Audience

This activity is intended for a multidisciplinary audience including community-based infectious disease specialists and other human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treaters, gastroenterology/hepatology clinicians, mental health specialists, substance abuse specialists, correctional health care professionals, public policy/public health officials, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV advocacy groups, payers, and clinical office staff who are engaged in the care of patients with HIV and/or HCV.

Educational Objectives

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

• Describe epidemiologic trends in HCV monoinfection and HIV/HCVcoinfection within at-risk populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID), and incarcerated individuals
• Screen MSM, PWID, and incarcerated individuals for HCV and HIV infection
• Provide guideline-based treatment for HCV monoinfection and HIV/HCV coinfection
• Identify patient, provider, and healthcare systembarriers to effective management of HCV monoinfection and HIV/HCV coinfection
• Implement strategies to overcome risk-cohort–specific challenges to the treatment of HCV monoinfection and HIV/HCV coinfection

Program Description

Approximately 25% of all individuals infected with HIV are coinfected with HCV.¹ Of critical significance, HIV increases the rate of progression of HCV-related hepatic fibrosis, and HCV is associated with a 3-fold increase in HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART)–induced liver toxicity.² Further, these synergistic diseases often occur within adverse socioeconomic conditions that significantly increase the vulnerability and decrease the overall health status of at-risk populations.³ Whereas HIV infection is now effectively manageable, chronic HCV infection is curable. Yet, despite new, highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment regimens for HCV, their broad-scale use and associated therapeutic successes remain stymied by barriers at the patient, clinician, health care system, and jurisdictional levels.⁴ The BLOCK HIV/HCV initiative will provide community-based infectious disease specialists and other HIV treaters with foundational information and practical resources needed to prepare local stakeholders—both clinical and nonclinical—to collaborate in efforts to eliminate HCV within their communities. 

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis. https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/populations/hiv.htm. Accessed January 24, 2018.
2. Sulkowski MS, Benhamou Y. Therapeutic issues in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. J Viral Hepat. 2007;14(6):371-386. 
3. Singer M. Introduction to Syndemics: A Critical Systems Approach to Public and Community Health. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2009.
4. National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR). Hepatitis C: The State of Medicaid Access. October 23, 2017. https://stateofhepc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/State-of-HepC_2017_FINAL.pdf. Accessed January 24, 2018.

Joint Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and Integritas Communications. Postgraduate Institute for Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the health care team.

Physician Continuing Medical Education

The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.

Continuing Pharmacy Education

Postgraduate Institute for Medicine designates this continuing education activity for 6.0 contact hours (0.60 CEUs) of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. (Universal Activity Number - JA4008162-9999-19-748-L02-P)

Type of Activity

Application

Pharmacists have up to 30 days to complete the evaluation and claim credit for participation so that information can be submitted to CPE Monitor as required.  Upon registering and completing the activity evaluation, your transcript information will be sent to the NABP CPE Monitor Service.

Continuing Nursing Education

The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 6.0 contact hours.  Pharmacotherapy contact hours for Advance Practice Registered Nurses to be determined.

Social Worker Education

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Postgraduate Institute for Medicine is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program.  Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program.  State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit.  Postgraduate Institute for Medicine maintains responsibility for this course.  Social workers completing this course receive 6.0 clinical continuing education credits.

Case Manager Education

This program has been submitted to The Commision for Case Manager Certification for approval to provide board certified case managers with 6.0 clock hours.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) requires instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals who are positioned to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflict of interest (COI) they may have as related to the content of this activity. All identified COI are thoroughly vetted and resolved according to PIM policy.  The existence or absence of COI for everyone in a position to control content will be disclosed to participants prior to the start of each activity.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Event staff will be glad to assist you with any special needs (ie, physical, dietary, etc). Please contact Nora Eldasher prior to the live event at neldasher@integritasgrp.com.

Fee Information

There is no fee for attending this program.

Website

For more information on the BLOCK HIV/HCV initiative, please visit: www.blockhivhcv.com