Understanding Meningococcal Vaccine Recommendations

Target Audience

This online series is designed to address identified knowledge and practice gaps among primary care providers as well as other healthcare providers, such as infectious disease specialists, pharmacists, nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants/associates, who manage patients at risk of invasive meningococcal disease.

Program Description

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has developed guideline recommendations for the meningococcal vaccine, including at what age it should be administered, number of doses, time between doses, and any precautions/contraindications.  Although these guidelines are inherently useful for primary care clinicians, they can be difficult to individualize in practice.  Furthermore, there are numerous barriers to meningococcal vaccine series completion and many individuals at high risk of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) lack complete protection.  In this Phone-a-Friend activity, Drs. Charles Vega and Gary Marshall discuss the most up-to-date guideline recommendations for the MenABCWY vaccine, as well as strategies to overcome barriers to meningococcal vaccine series completion in adolescents and young adults in the US.

Educational Objectives 

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

• Outline the most recent ACIP recommendations for the pentavalent MenABCWY vaccine
• Identify barriers to meningococcal vaccine uptake including vaccine hesitancy, logistical issues, and patient obstacles
• Individualize recommendations for meningococcal vaccination to reflect patient risk factors, preferences and values, health literacy, and shared decision-making

Physician Accreditation Statement

Integritas Communications is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physician Credit Designation

Integritas designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nursing Continuing Education

Global Education Group is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

This educational activity for 0.25 contact hour including 0.0 pharmacotherapeutic contact hour is provided by Global Education Group. Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Pharmacist Accreditation Statement

Global Education Group is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education with commendation.

Credit Designation

Global Education Group designates this continuing education activity for 0.25 contact hour(s) (0.025 CEUs) of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. (Universal Activity Number - 0530-9999-24-025-H01-P)

This is a knowledge-based activity.

Integritas Contact Information

For information about the accreditation (ACCME credit) of this program, please contact Integritas at info@exchangecme.com.

Global Contact Information

For information about the accreditation (ANCC & ACPE credit) of this program, please contact Global at 303-395-1782 or cme@globaleducationgroup.com.

Disclosures of Relevant Financial Relationships

Integritas and Global Education Group adhere to the policies and guidelines, including the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited CE, set forth to providers by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and all other professional organizations, as applicable, stating those activities where continuing education credits are awarded must be balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous. All persons in a position to control the content are required to disclose all financial relationships with any ineligible company within the past 24 months to Integritas.  All financial relationships reported are identified as relevant and mitigated by Integritas in accordance with the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited CE in advance of delivery of the activity to learners. The content of this activity was vetted by Integritas to assure objectivity and that the activity is free of commercial bias.  

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated. 

The faculty have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies:

Gary S. Marshall, MD: Consulting Fees: CSL Seqirus, GSK plc, Merck & Co., Inc., Moderna, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Sanofi S.A.; Contracted Research: CSL Seqirus, GSK plc, Merck & Co., Inc., Moderna, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Sanofi S.A.; Honoraria: CSL Seqirus, GSK plc, Merck & Co., Inc., Moderna, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Sanofi S.A.

Charles P. Vega, MD, FAAFP: Consulting Fees: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Exact Sciences Corp.

The planners and managers at Integritas Communications and Global Education Group have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Integritas Communications and Global Education Group do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.  

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization associated with this activity. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of patient conditions and possible contraindications or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. 

System Requirement

Instructions to Receive Credit

In order to receive credit for this activity, the participant must score 100% on the posttest and complete the program evaluation. Pharmacists must check CPE monitor for their credit within 60 days of activity completion.

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no fee for this educational activity.