Continuing Medical Education (CME)

Course Description
The development of the next generation of Alzheimer's disease treatments is among the most important health needs worldwide, but presents huge challenges. The goal of the meeting is to bring together today’s worldwide leaders in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease to discuss new results, drugs in development, and future methodological issues presented in the development of the next generation of Alzheimer’s disease treatments. This year’s topics of discussion include preliminary or new results concerning drug discovery, clinical trials of new therapies in development, methodological issues relating to disease modifying treatments, outcome measurements, biomarkers validation, and health economics.

Target Audience
This conference presented by UC San Diego School of Medicine is designed for neurologists, psychiatrists, geriatric and imaging specialists and physicians interested in finding solutions to the difficulties that have slowed the pace of progress, with a particular focus on clinical trial methodology. Other healthcare professionals who may benefit from this activity are clinical research coordinators, nurses, speech therapists and other AD and dementia occupational therapists, psychologists and neuropsychologists.

Course Objectives
Upon completion of this conference, participants should be able to:

1. Appreciate the full spectrum of AD from an asymptomatic stage through dementia
2. Harmonize neuroimaging methods and analysis for incorporation into trials and clinical practice
3. Elucidate the risk factors for AD and other dementias
4. Identify and avoid methodological errors in the design of multicenter and international clinical trials
5. Use improved measurement of cognitive deficits in their practice
6. Better understand the sequence and relationship among the biochemical and neuroimaging biomarkers of AD

 

Needs Assessment
The development of the next generation of Alzheimer's disease treatments is among the most important health needs worldwide, but presents huge challenges. Despite major advances in understanding the neurobiology of the disease and identifying plausible therapeutic targets, no new drug has been approved for AD treatment since 2003. The slow progress may have as much or more to do with methodological challenges than with the development of specific drug candidates. This conference brings together world leaders in AD treatment to discuss solutions to the difficulties that have slowed the pace of progress, with a particular focus on clinical trial methodology.

The Scientific committee of this conference has identified practice gaps in the following areas related to the design and conduct of AD clinical trials:

• The need to appreciate the full spectrum of AD from an asymptomatic stage through dementia
• The need for harmonization of neuroimaging methods and analysis for incorporation into trials and clinical practice
• The need to elucidate the risk factors for AD and other dementias
• The need to identify and avoid methodological errors in the design of multicenter and international clinical trials
• The need for improved measurement of cognitive deficits
• The need to clarify the sequence and relationship among the biochemical and neuroimaging biomarkers of AD

Beyond the global practice gaps addressed throughout the conference, other in-depth sessions will cover some specific issues related to the following needs/practice gaps:

• The need to evaluate the relevance of new criteria and their relevance
• The need to clarify the issue of Event-Related Potential Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis and Treatment Trials of Alzheimer’s Disease
• The need to properly assess the decline in cognitive function, which is the key change heralding the onset of mild cognitive impairment and dementia in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
• The need to clarify the weight, quality and reliability of the evidence in conversion from MCI to dementia in AD
• The need to improve measurement methodology to detect treatment effect in clinical trials

 

Accreditation statement:
The University of California, San Diego School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to providing continuing medical education for physicians.

 

Credit designation statement:
The University of California, San Diego School of Medicine will review the CTAD 2012 program and decide on the maximum number of AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ around September 2012.

 

Cultural and Linguistic Competency Statement:
California Assembly Bill 1195 requires continuing medical education activities with patient care components to include curriculum in the subjects of cultural and linguistic competency. It is the intent of the bill, which went into effect on July 1, 2006, to encourage physicians and surgeons, CME providers in the state of California, and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to meet the cultural and linguistic concerns of a diverse patient population through appropriate professional development. The planners, speakers and authors of this CME activity have been encouraged to address issues relevant in their topic area. In addition, a variety of resources are available that address cultural and linguistic competency, some of which may be included in your syllabus or handout materials. Additional resources and information about AB1195 can be found on our website at http://cme.ucsd.edu.