Program Overview
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease, having effective treatments but no cure. Understanding of the clinical manifestations and the pathophysiology that leads to them is crucial for all of the professionals who treat, educate and advise patients. Such an understanding leads to enhanced patient knowledge of disease processes and improved compliance. This program will provide an in depth review of the immunology and pathophysiology of MS which will assist nurses in their management of MS disease and in their communication with patients.

Program Format
An Internet-based, CE-accredited professional education program.

Target Audience
This program has been developed for MS-treating physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. There are no prerequisites to participate in this activity.

Educational Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be better able to:

• Describe the immunologic basis of MS
• Outline the various processes that lead to cell destruction in MS
• Outline the therapies that help to prevent this destruction and characterize their mechanisms of action
• Understand the importance of adherence to therapy in the effectiveness of these mechanisms
• Incorporate these points into improved patient communication

Disclaimer
The opinions and recommendations expressed by faculty and other experts, whose input is included in this program, are their own. This enduring material is produced for educational purposes only. Use of The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing name imply review of educational format design and approach. Please review the complete prescribing information of specific drugs or combinations of drugs, including indications, contraindications, warnings and adverse effects before administering pharmacologic therapy to patients.

CE Information
The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing is accredited as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Commission on Accreditation.

Credit Designation
The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing designates this activity for a maximum of 1.2 contact hours. Claim only those contact hours actually spent in the activity.

Date of Release and Expiration
This course was released on July 21, 2005 and will expire on July 21, 2006. CE credit cannot be awarded after this date. Estimated time to complete this educational activity: 1 hour.

Responsibility Statement
The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing takes responsibility for the content, quality and scientific integrity of this CE activity.

Privacy Statement
The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing (IJHN) is committed to protect the privacy of our participants. We maintain our internet site as an information resource and service for health professionals. The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing will keep your personal information confidential when you participate in an internet based program. Your information will never be given to anyone outside of the IJHN continuing education programs. The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing collects only the information necessary to provide you with the services that you request.

Faculty

Robert Fox, MD
Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Robert Fox, MD, received his undergraduate degree from Amherst College and his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University. He pursued residency training in neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He completed clinical training as a Potiker Fellow at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, where he now continues as a staff neurologist. He is also the director of the Mellen Center MS tissue donation program.

Michael Kaufman, MD
Carolinas HealthCare
Charlotte, NC

Michael Kaufman, MD, is a clinical neurologist with an interest in multiple sclerosis clinical research since 1993. After attending Union College, Dr. Kaufman received his MD from Duke Medical School. His post-graduate training was performed at Cornell University's New York Hospital, Case-Western Reserve's Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, and the Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Kaufman held faculty positions at the Emory School of Medicine and Duke Medical School before entering private practice in neurology. In 1993 he left private practice and joined the staff of Carolinas Medical Center, where he organized the first MS clinical research center in North or South Carolina. This Center has conducted more than 15 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials in MS and has contributed over 20 articles, abstracts, and book chapters to the MS literature. Dr. Kaufman has been selected as Professional of the Year and chosen for the Leadership Award by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He has also served on its board of directors and clinical advisory committee.

Marie Namey, RN, MSN, MSCN
Cleveland Clinic

Marie A. Namey, RN, MSN, received her MSN from The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University. She received her BS in nursing from Villa Maria College, Erie, Pennsylvania.

Ms. Namey has been part of the interdisciplinary team at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation since its inception in 1985. She is a member of the local MS Society chapter professional advisory committee and the chapter program committee. She is a popular speaker for patient and professional groups on aspects of MS care.

Ms. Namey is a member of advisory groups for pharmaceutical companies. She is on the Editorial Board for Real Living with MS. She has published on topics of bladder and bowel function and adherence. She has been a member of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers since 1986 and has served as secretary, vice president, and president of this organization. She was chair of the education committee and participated on the education committee and abstract review Committee. She currently chairs the advocacy committee.

Ms. Namey is a founding member and currently is treasurer of the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses.

Faculty Disclosures

Full Disclosure Policy Affecting CE Activities
As a sponsor accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation (ANCC), The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing must ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all its individually-sponsored or jointly-sponsored educational activities. All faculty participating in a sponsored activity are expected to disclose to the activity audience any significant financial interest or other relationship (1) with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial product(s) and/or provider(s) of commercial services discussed in an educational presentation and (2) with any commercial supporters of the activity. (Significant financial interest or other relationship can include such things as grants or research support, employee, consultant, major stockholder, member of speakers bureau, etc.). The intent of this disclosure is not to prevent a presenter with a significant financial or other relationship from making a presentation, but rather to provide listeners with information on which they can make their own judgments. It remains for the audience to determine whether the presenter's interests or relationships may influence the presentation. In addition, presenters must make a meaningful disclosure to the audience of their discussion of unlabeled or unapproved drugs or devices.

Robert Fox, MD has received grant and research support from Biogen Idec, Genentech, Merck and Centocor. He has also served as a consultant for Biogen Idec, Centocor, Merck, Acorda Therapeutics , Serono Inc. and Tevea Neuroscience, Inc.

Michael Kaufman, MD has received grants and research support from Teva Neuroscience, Berlex, Biogen Idec, Serono Inc., Acorda Therapeutics, and Genentech.

Marie Namey, RN, MSN, MSCN has served as a consultant for Biogen Idec, Teva Neuroscience, and Serono Inc. She has also received honorarium from Biogen Idec, Teva Neuroscience, and Serono Inc.

Off-Label Discussion
This program mentions the experimental use of rituximab in multiple sclerosis. Rituximab has not been approved by the FDA for this use.

No faculty member has indicated that their presentation will include information on off-label products.

This educational program is supported through an educational grant from Biogen Idec and Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Copyright 2005, The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing. All rights reserved.

Launch Presentation