Applying HIV Advances in Practice: What the Pharmacist Needs to Know

This activity is jointly provided by Global Education Group and Integritas Communications.

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Release Date: September 15, 2022
Expiration Date: September 15, 2023

Target Audience

The educational design of this activity addresses the needs of clinical, specialty, and managed care pharmacists and pharmacy benefits managers involved in the care of patients with HIV infection.

Program Overview

The HIV treatment landscape has expanded significantly in recent years. There are now multiple available oral 2-drug regimens and 1 long-acting injectable. It is important for pharmacists to understand the risks, benefits, and selection criteria of available antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens, particularly as they educate patients about appropriate use and potential adverse events or drug-drug interactions. Long-acting injectables are accompanied by infrastructure changes and requirements for further clinician education. Pharmacists play a critical role in patient adherence, education, and identification of the need for therapeutic switching, which will often occur as patients age and develop comorbidities. Medication therapy management to optimize therapy is also central to the pharmacist’s role. Dr. Melissa Badowski and Dr. Jennifer Cocohoba discuss recently available and emerging ART, switching strategies, medication therapy management, and the role pharmacists may play in patient management.

Educational Objectives

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

• Evaluate risks and benefits of 2-drug regimens to individualize patient selection
• Review risks, benefits, and requirements for use of long-acting injectables to manage HIV
• Identify strategies to simplify ART regimens to increase adherence
• Select subsequent ART regimens according to patient and regimen characteristics

Faculty

Melissa Badowski, PharmD, MPH, FCCP, BCIDP, BCPS
Clinical Associate Professor
College of Pharmacy - Pharmacy Practice
University of Illinois, Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Dr. Melissa Badowski is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Pharmacy. She practices in an interdisciplinary telemedicine clinic where she provides HIV care to individuals in custody in the Illinois Department of Corrections. She also provides infectious diseases care at a university-based outpatient clinic. 

Jennifer Cocohoba, PharmD, MAS
Vice Chair of Faculty Development
McKesson Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology
Department of Clinical Pharmacy
Clinical pharmacist for the UCSF Women’s HIV Program
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California

Dr. Jennifer Cocohoba is Professor of Clinical Pharmacy and Vice Chair of Faculty Development at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), School of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy. As a pharmacist for the UCSF Women’s HIV Program, she conducts medication consultations and leads quality assurance initiatives around prescribing. Her research interests focus on pharmacy-based interventions to improve adherence, medication use in people living with HIV, and sex differences in antiretroviral pharmacoepidemiology.

Program Agenda

• Persisting Challenges and Potential Solutions in HIV—An Overview
• 2-Drug Regimens (2-DR): When and for Whom Are They Appropriate
• Long-Acting Injectables: The Future of HIV Treatment?
• Switching ART Regimens Throughout the Lifespan
• Understanding Drug Utilization Review (DUR) and Access to ART

Pharmacist Accreditation Statement

Global Education Group is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education with Commendation.

Credit Designation

Global Education Group designates this continuing education activity for 1.25 contact hour (.125 CEUs) of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. (Universal Activity Number - 0530-9999-22-088-H02-P)

This is a knowledge-based activity.

Global Contact Information

For information about the accreditation of this program, please contact Global at 303-395-1782 or cme@globaleducationgroup.com.

Instructions to Receive Credit

In order to receive credit for this activity, the participant must review the activity as well as successfully complete the posttest, by achieving a score of 70% or higher, and evaluation form. Pharmacists should check CPE monitor for their credits within 60 days of completing the activity.

System Requirements

Please ensure the computer system you plan to use meets the following minimum requirements:

• Operating System: Windows 98 or higher & Macintosh 2.2 or higher
• Internet Browser (Mac & Windows): Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher, Google Chrome, Safari 5.0.6 or higher, Firefox 3.0.3 or higher, & Opera 5 or higher
• Broadband Internet connection: Cable, High-speed DSL & any other medium that is internet accessible
• Peripherals: Computer speakers or headphones
• Monitor Screen Resolution: 320 x 480 or higher
• Media Viewing Requirements: Adobe Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, Flash Player & HTML5

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no fee for this educational activity.

Disclosures of Conflicts of Interest

Global Education Group (Global) adheres to the policies and guidelines, including the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited CE, set forth to providers by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and all other professional organizations, as applicable, stating those activities where continuing education credits are awarded must be balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous. All persons in a position to control the content of an accredited continuing education program provided by Global are required to disclose all financial relationships with any ineligible company within the past 24 months to Global. All financial relationships reported are identified as relevant and mitigated by Global in accordance with the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited CE in advance of delivery of the activity to learners. The content of this activity was vetted by Global to assure objectivity and that the activity is free of commercial bias.

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

The faculty have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies:

The planners and managers have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies:

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. Global Education Group (Global) 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.

Clinical Resource Center:

www.exchangecme.com/HIVPracticeResources