Course Description
Focus on Fungal Infections 18 was a 3-day educational activity that was held March 5-7, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. The meeting was chaired by Elias J. Anaissie, MD, from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas and Michael G. Rinaldi, PhD, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas. Twenty-two faculty experts participated in this scientific conference, which consisted of plenary lectures, debates, and panel discussions. The distinguished faculty included expert academicians, private practice physicians, laboratory specialists, and specialized veterinarians. This webcast is a multimedia representation of Focus on Fungal Infections 18, consisting of the video capture of the conference and the slide decks presented at the conference.

Target Audience
This educational activity is specifically designed for infectious disease specialists, microbiologists, epidemiologists, laboratory technologists, and other healthcare professionals with special education and training in microbiology or infectious diseases who are interested in the identification, diagnosis, and management of invasive fungal infections.

Educational Objectives
After successful completion of this activity participants should be able to:

• List and identify the most important newly emerging fungal pathogens
• Discuss the relevance of clinical laboratory findings for the diagnosis and management of patients with invasive fungal infections
• Recommend treatment for invasive fungal infections in normal and at-risk populations
• Summarize the characteristics of the newer antifungal agents and clinical trial results utilizing these agents
• Discuss the status of clinical trials assessing the feasibility of combination and sequential antifungal therapeutic regimens
• Describe and discuss fungal infections in nonhuman species and their relevance to the advances in human fungal infections
• Evaluate the challenges in the development of vaccinations for invasive fungal infections

Continuing Medical Education
Imedex^®, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide medical education for physicians.

Imedex, LLC designates this educational activity for a maximum 8.5 of AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

In order to receive credit, participants must successfully complete the online post test and evaluation form. You will receive an online CME statement of credit to print for your records.

For questions regarding accreditation of this activity, please contact:

Imedex, LLC
4325 Alexander Drive
Alpharetta, GA 30022
Fax: +1(770) 751 7334
elearning@imedex.com

Deadline for CME Credits: May 6, 2009

Unapproved and Investigational Uses of Drugs and Devices
This activity may contain information about experimental and other uses of drugs or devices that are not currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or other national regulatory agencies in the United States and other countries. Participants in the United States are encouraged to consult the FDA-approved product labeling for any drug or device mentioned in this program before use. Participants from other countries should consult with their respective regulatory authorities.

The opinions expressed in this activity are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Imedex, LLC or MERCK & CO., Inc.

Imedex is a brand and assumed name used by Imedex, LLC. Imedex is solely responsible for this activity’s content. Although Imedex attempts to ensure that the information in our program is accurate and timely, matters and opinions discussed and/or presented with respect to clinical matters are those of the discussion participants only, and not necessarily those of Imedex. Moreover, although Imedex attempts to identify and integrate the most qualified medical professionals in our program, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IMEDEX EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTIES’ RIGHTS, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENT PRESENTED. IMEDEX FURTHER MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, COMPLETENESS OR TIMELINESS OF THE CONTENT OR ANY MATERIAL PRESENTED.

In addition, the material presented and related discussions are not intended to be medical advice, and the presentation or discussion of such material is not intended to create and does not establish a physician-patient relationship. Medical advice of any nature should be sought from an individual’s own physician.

Neither Imedex nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates is affiliated with or formally endorsed by a medical society.

Copyright 2008 Imedex^®, LLC. All rights reserved.

Faculty

Disclosure Statement
As a provider accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Imedex^®, LLC must ensure balance, objectivity, independence, and scientific rigor in its educational activities. Faculty are encouraged to provide a balanced view of therapeutic options including but not limited to the use of generic names to ensure impartiality.

All faculty participating in an Imedex activity are required to disclose commitments to and/or relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers or distributors, or others whose products or services may be considered to be related to the subject matter of the educational activity. Disclosure of these commitments and/or relationships is included in these course materials so that participants in the activity may formulate their own judgments in interpreting its content and evaluating its recommendations.

The following indicates the faculty disclosure declaration information and the nature of those commercial relationships.

1=grant/research support 2=consultant 3=speaker’s bureau 4=stock shareholder 5=other support

The following speakers have reported an affiliation with the supporters of this conference:

The following speakers do not report any affiliation:

Tom Chiller, MD, MPH
Annette Fothergill, MA, MBA, MT(ASCP), CLS(NCA)
Michael G. Rinaldi, PhD
Deanna A. Sutton, MT, SM(ASCP), RM, SM
Joseph Wheat, MD

Imedex, LLC Staff Disclosure of Financial Relationships
Imedex, LLC is a subsidiary of AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group, which is a subsidiary of AmerisourceBergen Company. All Imedex staff members, except for the following, who are in a position to control the content of this activity, have no financial relationships with any commercial interests that are relevant to this activity:

Keith Steward, MD, MBA, owns shares of Pfizer Inc and Johnson & Johnson, as well as stock options for AmerisourceBergen.

Chris Bolwell owns shares of GlaxoSmithKline and stock options for AmerisourceBergen.

Kenneth Richardson, MD, Bradley Bongiovanni, ND, and Becky Lynch, RN, own stock options for AmerisourceBergen.

Unapproved and Investigational Uses of Drugs and Devices
This activity may contain information about experimental and other uses of drugs or devices that are not currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or other national regulatory agencies in the United States and other countries. Participants in the United States are encouraged to consult the FDA-approved product labeling for any drug or device mentioned in this program before use.  Participants from other countries should consult with their respective regulatory authorities.

The opinions expressed in this activity are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Imedex, LLC or MERCK & CO., Inc.

Imedex is a brand and assumed name used by Imedex, LLC. Imedex is solely responsible for this activity’s content. Although Imedex attempts to ensure that the information in our program is accurate and timely, matters and opinions discussed and/or presented with respect to clinical matters are those of the discussion participants only, and not necessarily those of Imedex. Moreover, although Imedex attempts to identify and integrate the most qualified medical professionals in our program, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IMEDEX EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTIES’ RIGHTS, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENT PRESENTED. IMEDEX FURTHER MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, COMPLETENESS OR TIMELINESS OF THE CONTENT OR ANY MATERIAL PRESENTED. 

In addition, the material presented and related discussions are not intended to be medical advice, and the presentation or discussion of such material is not intended to create and does not establish a physician-patient relationship. Medical advice of any nature should be sought from an individual’s own physician.

Corporate Support
The following company has provided an unrestricted educational grant in support of this educational activity:

Activity Organizer

4325 Alexander Drive
Alpharetta, GA 30022-3740 USA
Tel.: +1 (770) 751 7332
Fax: +1 (770) 751 7334
www.imedex.com
elearning@imedex.com