7th Annual Neuromuscular Disorders Seminar

Needs Statement

Several new medications were approved for treatment of different neuromuscular disorders over the last 2 years. This seminar focusses primarily on drugs that are approved or still in the pipeline for treatment of muscle, nerve, and neuromuscular junction disorders and their place in the current and future treatment paradigm. Potential barriers, such as prohibitive cost, will be discussed. The seminar will highlight diagnostic approaches to disorders of muscles and nerves including expert analysis of the role of electromyography, muscle biopsy and nerve biopsy. In addition, indications and utility of these procedures will be discussed.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the participant should be able to:

• Identify indications and side effects of new generation drugs to treat neuromuscular disorders.
• Recognize the importance of balancing the benefit and cost of the new therapies for neuromuscular disorders.
• Utilize EMG, muscle biopsy and skin biopsy for the diagnosis of disorders of muscles and nerves.
• Apply indications of surgery to patients with cervical and LS spondylosis.

Target Audience

Accreditation/Credit Designation

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Baylor College of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Baylor College of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 7.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

American Board of Pathology (ABPath)

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 7.00 Lifelong Learning MOC points in the American Board of Pathology's (ABPath) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABPath MOC credit.

Disclosure Policy

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education (CME) for physicians. BCM is committed to sponsoring CE activities that are scientifically based, accurate, current, and objectively presented.

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support, BCM has implemented a mechanism requiring everyone in a position to control the content of an educational activity (i.e., directors, planning committee members, faculty) to disclose any relevant financial relationships with commercial interests (drug/device companies) and manage/resolve any conflicts of interest prior to the activity. Individuals must disclose to participants the existence or non-existence of financial relationships at the time of the activity or within 24 months prior.

In addition, BCM has requested activity faculty/presenters to disclose to participants any unlabeled use or investigational use of pharmaceutical/device products; to use scientific or generic names (not trade names) in referring to products; and, if necessary to use a trade name, to use the names of similar products or those within a class. Faculty/presenters have also been requested to adhere to the ACCME's validation of clinical content statements.

BCM does not view the existence of financial relationships with commercial interests as implying bias or decreasing the value of a presentation. It is up to participants to determine whether the relationships influence the activity faculty with regard to exposition or conclusions. If at any time during this activity you feel that there has been commercial/promotional bias, notify the Activity Director or Activity Coordinator. Please answer the questions about balance and objectivity in the activity evaluation candidly.

All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.