Getting Ahead of the ALS Curve Through Early Detection and Intervention: Module 1 – Enabling Earlier Detection of ALS

Gain expert insights for enabling earlier detection of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)in this two part module series! Dr. Sabrina Paganoni, Co-Director of the Neurological Clinical Research Institute at Massachusetts Hospital and Healey & AMG Center for ALS, and Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital of Harvard Medical School, will discuss risk factors and early symptoms of ALS to enable timely diagnosis and improve outcomes. Start the activity now!

STATEMENT OF NEED

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurological disorder in which motor neurons deteriorate and result in muscle atrophy. As the disease progresses, affected individuals lose control of voluntary movements such as breathing, walking, talking, and chewing. Because treatments for slowing progression may be most effective earlier in the disease course, it is vital that patients with ALS are diagnosed as quickly as possible. While physical exams, neurologic exams, and muscle and imaging tests can help to support diagnosis, there is no single test for definitively diagnosing ALS (NIH, 2024). Therefore, it is crucial that members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team be familiar with risk factors and early symptoms of ALS in order to enable timely diagnosis and improve patient outcomes. In Module 1 of this microlearning series, Dr. Sabrina Paganoni, Co-Director of the Neurological Clinical Research Institute at Massachusetts Hospital and Healey & AMG Center for ALS, and Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital of Harvard Medical School, will share strategies for getting ahead of the ALS curve by enabling earlier detection. 

TARGET AUDIENCE

Primary care physicians (PCPs), neurologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care professionals involved in the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to

• Evaluate factors that can inform an early and accurate diagnosis of ALS

PROVIDED BY

JOINTLY ACCREDITED PROVIDER

In support of improving patient care, i3 Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

PHYSICIANS

i3 Health designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 0.5 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) 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 ABIM MOC credit.

By providing this information, participants are agreeing to allow i3 Health to share this information with the ACCME.

Physician Assistants/Associates

i3 Health has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 0.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until 5/29/2025. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. 

Nurse Practitioners

The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME. Individuals are responsible for checking with the AANPCP for further guidelines.

Nursing Continuing Professional Development

A maximum of 0.5 ANCC contact hours may be earned by learners who successfully complete this nursing continuing professional development activity. This activity has been designated for 0.25 ANCC contact hours of pharmacology credit for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 15824, for 0.5 ANCC contact hours. 

Continuing Pharmacy Education

i3 Health has approved this knowledge-based activity for 0.5 ACPE CE hours. The Universal Activity Number for this activity is JA0008128-0000-24-001-H01-P. Pharmacy CE credits can be submitted to the NABP upon successful completion of the activity and the evaluation by providing your NABP ID and DOB, which must be submitted within 60 days of completion. 

DISCLOSURE OF RELEVANT FINANCIAL INFORMATION WITH INELIGIBLE COMPANIES

i3 Health endorses the standards of the ACCME, ANCC, and ACPE that require everyone in a position to control the content of a CME/NCPD/CPE activity to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies that are related to the content of the CME/NCPD/CPE activity. CME/NCPD/CPE activities must be balanced, independent of commercial bias, and promote improvements or quality in health care. All recommendations involving clinical medicine must be based on evidence accepted within the medical profession.

A conflict of interest is created when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME/NCPD content about products or services of an ineligible company with which he/she has a financial relationship, which therefore may bias their opinions and teaching. This may include receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, stocks, or other financial benefits.

i3 Health will identify, review, and mitigate all relevant financial relationships that speakers, authors, or planners disclose prior to an educational activity being delivered to learners. Disclosure of a relationship is not intended to suggest or condone bias in any presentation but is made to provide participants with information that might be of potential importance to their evaluation of a presentation. i3 Health does not endorse any products or services.

Relevant financial relationships exist between the following individuals and ineligible companies:

The i3 Health planners, reviewers, and managers have nothing to disclose.

Sabrina Paganoni, MD, PhD, discloses that she has served as a consultant for Amylyx, Arrowhead, Cytokinetics, and Eikonizo, and she has received grants/research support from Calico, Clene, Denali, Prilenia, Seelos, and UCB.

i3 Health has mitigated all relevant financial relationships.

UNAPPROVED USE DISCLOSURE

i3 Health requires CME/NCPD/CPE faculty (speakers) to disclose to attendees when products or procedures being discussed are off-label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational (not FDA approved), as well as any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Faculty may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved labeling.

This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. If you have questions, contact the medical affairs department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.

DISCLAIMER

The information provided at this CME/NCPD/CPE activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical/clinical judgment of a health care provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.

COMMERCIAL SUPPORT

This activity is supported by an independent medical educational grant from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.