FACULTY

Nora I. Osemene, RPh, MS, PharmD
Chair and Associate Professor of Pharmacy
Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Houston, Texas

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

Nora I. Osemene, RPh, MS, PharmD, has no real or apparent conflicts of interest in relation to this program.

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT

Pharmacy
Postgraduate Healthcare Education, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
UAN: 0430-0000-11-020-H01-P
TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Application

Published: June 20, 2011   Expires: June 30, 2013

Media: Internet

Fee Information: There is no fee for this educational activity.

Estimated time to complete activity: 120 minutes

TARGET AUDIENCE

This accredited activity is designed for pharmacists.

PROCEDURE

Please complete the posttest questions and activity evaluation online at: www.powerpak.com (a username and password are required to access your account). Upon passing the exam with a score of 70% or better, you can print out your statement of credit immediately. You can also view your test history at any time and print out duplicate statements from the Web site.

GOAL

The goal of this article is to provide pharmacists with up-to-date information about herpes zoster disease and equip them with the tools to play a greater role in the prevention and management of patients with zoster and its complications.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

After completing this educational activity, participants should be able to:

1. Understand the epidemiology, current herpes zoster immunization coverage rate, and immunization gaps among older adults
   
2. Understand the pathophysiology of herpes zoster, its complications and consequences for patients
   
3. Discuss the pharmacist’s role in the prevention and management of herpes zoster, including ways to prevent exacerbations and improve overall quality of life
   
4. Discuss pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment modalities

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use and Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of Postgraduate Healthcare Education, LLC, (PHE) and Merck & Co., Inc. 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 or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patients’ conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

The author, sponsor, and publisher of this continuing education activity have made all reasonable efforts to ensure that all information contained herein is accurate in accordance with the latest available scientific knowledge at the time of acceptance for publication. However, because information regarding drugs (their administration, dosages, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, special warnings, precautions, etc.) is subject to constant change, the reader is advised to check the manufacturer’s package insert for information concerning recommended dosages and potential problems and cautions prior to dispensing or administering the drug. Special precautions should be taken when a drug is new, or highly toxic, or is unfamiliar to the dispenser or administrant. This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Neither the publisher nor sponsor promotes the use of any agent outside of approved labeling. Statements made in this monograph have not been evaluated by the FDA. Nutritional products discussed are not intended for the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease.