Faculty

Sherilyn Brinkley, CRNP
Nurse Practitioner/Program Manager
Clinical Services and Research, Viral Hepatitis Center
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland

Donald Brown
Harm-Reduction Specialist and Educator
Research Program Supervisor
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland

Brianna L. Norton, DO, MPH
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine and Infectious Diseases
Montefiore Medical Center
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, New York

Mark S. Sulkowski, MD
Medical Director, Viral Hepatitis Center
Professor of Medicine
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland

Program Description

BRIDGE HCV is an exciting grassroots initiative that taps into the strengths and resources of communities in inner-city and metropolitan areas to provide effective treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in people who inject drugs (PWID). Now, drawing upon dynamic content presented at live small-group meetings for community-based health care professionals, this enduring program will bring the critical content to the greater online learning community. Key learning emphases will be placed on feasibility and efficacy of direct-acting antiviral treatment in PWID, incorporation of harm-reduction principles and practices across the HCV-care continuum, and strategies for clinicians and addiction-services providers to collaboratively reach, test, treat, and cure HCV-positive PWID. Balancing clinical data with real-world experience and insights, this online educational program will give learners a strong base from which to participate in their own community efforts toward local-area HCV micro-elimination.

References

  1. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases/Infectious Diseases Society of America. Last updated May 2018.
  2. Gonzalez SA, et al. Addict Disord Their Treat. 2017;16(2 suppl 1): S1-S23.

Target Audience

This educational initiative is intended for hepatologists, gastroenterologists, infectious diseases specialists and other clinicians currently treating HCV.

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be better able to do the following:

  • Discuss national and local epidemiologic data on HCV-positive PWID
  • Describe the feasibility, efficacy, and population benefits of treating HCV-infected PWID
  • Prescribe DAA-drug regimens for the treatment of HCV-infected PWID
  • Apply harm-reduction principles and practices across the HCV-care continuum

Faculty, Staff, and Reviewer Disclosure Statement:

All faculty, staff, and reviewers involved in the planning, review, or presentation of continuing education activities provided by Purdue University College of Pharmacy are required to disclose to the audience any relevant commercial financial affiliations related to the content of the presentation or enduring material. Full disclosure of all commercial relationships must be made in writing to the audience prior to the activity. All additional planning committee members, staff, and reviewers of Integritas Communications and Purdue University College of Pharmacy have no relationships to disclose.

Faculty Disclosure:

The faculty reported the following financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they or their spouses/life partners have with commercial interests related to the content of this CME activity:

Sherilyn Brinkley, CRNP: Speakers Bureau: AbbVie Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc. Advisory Board: AbbVie Inc., Merck & Co., Inc.

Donald Brown: Nothing to disclose

Brianna L. Norton, DO, MPH: Nothing to disclose

Mark S. Sulkowski, MD: Grants/Research Support (paid to institution): AbbVie Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., Proteus Digital Health, Inc. Tobira Therapeutics, Inc. Advisory Board: AbbVie Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Trek Therapeutics, PBC. Editorial Board: Journal of Viral Hepatitis (Wiley and Sons)

Physician Accreditation Statement 

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Purdue University College of Pharmacy and Integritas Communications. Purdue University College of Pharmacy, an equal access/equal opportunity institution, is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physician Credit Designation

Purdue University College of Pharmacy designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Purdue University College of Pharmacy and Integritas Communications do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization associated with this activity. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of patient conditions and possible contraindications or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

CME Inquiries

For information about the accreditation of this program, please contact Dawn Sinclair at The Purdue University College of Pharmacy at sinclaid@purdue.edu or 765-494-5457. Questions regarding credits and certificates should be directed to Heather Holley at hholley@purdue.edu

Instructions

In order to receive credit, participants must complete the pre-assessment questions, view the activity in its entirety, and the post-test, and program evaluation. Participants must also score at least 70% on the post-test. You will receive a digital copy of your credit certificate at the conclusion of the activity. 

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