Industry Sponsored Symposia

Industry Sponsored Symposia (ISS) are educational programs offered during evening hours during the PAS Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. These events are not part of the official scientific sessions planned by the PAS Program Committee. The PAS Executive Committee reviewed and approved these sessions after determining the topic was timely and of broad interest to the memberships, the topic meets ACCME Guidelines and Standards for Commercial Support, and the contents are free of commercial bias for or against any product. ISS are planned solely by the sponsoring company/organization and these events are scheduled during time slots that do not compete with PAS programs or exhibit hall hours.

There is no fee to attend the PAS ISS, but pre-registration is required. The supporting companies hosting each ISS session will send separate invitations and registration forms and/or will have on-site registration available at the door. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
 

Sunday, May 15
7:00pm – 10:00pm

Is Prevention the Next Step for Cervical Cancer and Other Human Papillomavirus-Related Diseases?
Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel - Independence A

After attending in this activity, participants should be better able to:

  • Describe the epidemiology and natural history of HPV infection

  • Evaluate public health impact of HPV infection

  • Review data of emerging vaccines for the prevention of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases

  • Apply strategies for overcoming barriers to vaccine acceptance

Although the clinical manifestations of human papillomavirus (HPV), genital warts and cervical cancer, have long been characterized, the public health burden posed by HPV is only now being fully recognized. HPV DNA testing has revolutionized our epidemiologic estimates for prevalence, indicating that HPV DNA is present in up to 60% of young women. Given that HPV is implicated in the etiology of virtually every case of cervical cancer and genital warts occurring worldwide, vaccination is the most the most effective mechanism for prevention. This symposium will review emerging clinical trial data regarding investigational HPV vaccines, and will discuss the pharmacoeconomic advantages and social barriers that will ultimately impact their acceptance and uptake into contemporary clinical practice.

Target Audience: Pediatricians and Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialists

Sponsored by Merck Vaccination Division

For additional information, contact:
Leslie Goldsmith
lgoldsmith@synapseny.com

Sunday, May 15
7:00pm – 9:30pm

Meningococcal Disease:  New Strategies for Disease Prevention and Treatment
Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel - Constitution CDE

Niesseria meningitidis is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in American children and young adults.  Since 1991, outbreaks of meningococcal disease have increased in the United States, but represent <3% of total US cases.

Rates of meningococcal disease are highest for infants but have increased among adolescents and young adults.  During 1994-1998, about two thirds of cases in persons aged 18-23 years were caused by serogroups C, Y, or W-135 and thus were potentially preventable.  Deciding who to target for meningococcal polysaccharide or conjugate vaccines requires understanding of the groups at risk, the burden of disease and the potential benefits of vaccination.

Highlights of the presentations include:

  • The changing epidemiology of meningococcal disease, with a look at US morbidity and mortality rates by age group; the clinically significant meningococcal serogroups and the effect of each by age group; changes in serogroup prevalence and populations at risk; and risk factors

  • Newest recommendations from the Adviosry committee on Immunization Practices for the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine

  • Safety and immunogenicity of meningococcal vaccines, with the latest data on quadrivalent (A, C, Y, W-135) polysaccharide and conjugate vaccines

  • A review of the latest treatment regimens and guidelines for meningococcal disease

Sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur Inc.

For additional information, contact: 
Gina Domanico
Gina.Domanico@HaymarketMedical.com

Monday, May 16
6:00pm – 9:00pm

 

Ensuring Positive Outcomes in Childhood Patient Care:  Addressing Comorbidities in ADHD
Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel, Independence FGHI

This continuing medical education activity will reveiw the pervalence of ADHD and commonly associated comorbidities of children and adolescents experiencing this disease.  New methods of assessing these patients will be explored in an effort to better recommend treatment regimens.  Evidence from the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) of incorporating behavioral therapies along with pharmacological treatments in managing pediatric patients with ADHD will be discussed.  Currently used pharmacological treatment options and their afficacy and safety will also be reviewed.  Finally, the facutly will incorporate case studies describing how pediatric patients present with comorbid ADHD and how to subsequently manage sypmtoms.

Sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company

For additional information, contact: 
Lindsay Cornelius
lcornelius@dwainc.com

Monday, May 16
7:00pm – 10:00pm

Improving Pediatric Therapeutics Through the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act of 2002
Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel, Constitution A

The Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) was enacted into law on January 4, 2002, to address the issue of the lack of evidence-based medicine in pediatric patients. BPCA legislated that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) study on-patent and off-patent drugs in order to improve pediatric therapeutics through collaboration on scientific investigation, clinical study design, weight of evidence, and ethical and labeling issues. The Director of NIH delegated authority for establishing and conducting the pediatric drug development activity to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). NICHD utilizes the off-patent written request process to review available literature or to conduct clinical studies in children for selected drugs already approved for adults. Industry sponsors are provided an opportunity to conduct the requested drug studies through issuance of a written request. If industry rejects the opportunity, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refers the written request to the NICHD (off-patent drugs) or the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH, on-patent drugs). If the FNIH has sufficient funds, the drug is referred to the listing process. NICHD generally selects Pediatric Off-Patent Drug Study (PODS) Centers through a competitive procurement process that is available to the general public.

Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, 
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

For additional information, contact:
Christine Gorham 
cgorham@circlesolutions.com